


That's Mama Lucina to You! (Old)

by AnPresonPeepul



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Anna says I am once again asking for your financial support, Breaking the past, But Lucina doesn't want to, Cheeky Child Anna, Family Fluff, Lucina is Clueless, Mercenary Lucina, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parent-reversal, Peck your canon, Time Travel, heavy lies the crown
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-02-17 23:17:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 30,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21601375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnPresonPeepul/pseuds/AnPresonPeepul
Summary: Changing the future was all she wanted to do. Getting to the past seemed like the way to do it, but an accident sends Lucina much further back than she expected. When she finds herself advisor to twelve-year-old Exalt Emmeryn, she’ll have to keep the halidom together to make sure they get to the future in the first place.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> _"You didn't tell me you brought a secret weapon, Lucina!"_
> 
> _"That's mama Lucina to you, Emmeryn!"_
> 
> _~ Super Mario World, 1991_

"Your Grace?"

Perched on the balcony, the sun behind her lit her form, and she glowed in the sunlight as her dress fluttered in the wind. The Exalt tore her gaze from the view of the city below to the guard standing at the door to her room. Her brows furrowed as her eyes adjusted to the low light inside.

Seeing this, the man frowned. "My apologies," he said with a bow. "Was I interrupting anything?"

"Not at all, Frederick." A small smile lifted the edges of her lips. "What is it?"

"Your family has returned from Southtown," he replied.

"I see. Are they in the castle yet?"

"They're waiting for you in the main hall."

"Oh." The Exalt glanced away. "Could you tell them I'll meet them in a minute? I need a moment to prepare myself."

"I see." Frederick's eyes briefly flicked to her dress: a soft blue nightgown. "Hardly proper to be running through the halls in your nightclothes."

"I just woke up. It's going to take a second for the rest of me to catch up with the fact." As if to emphasize her point, she let out a yawn, stretching her arms over her head.

"Another long night of grueling negotiations with Plegia?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Well, I'll be off then. Don't be too long, though, or they'll come up to drag you out themselves."

The Exalt waved Frederick away, and he chuckled as he turned to leave. The door clicked shut behind him, and she wiped her eyes, the last traces of sleep finally vanishing.

Standing a little straighter, she took a moment to look around at her room. Long, thin curtains adorned her bed frame, and wardrobes stuffed with lavish clothes glistened in the dim candlelight burning in the glass lanterns hanging off the walls. Sighing, she fell back into the green bedsheets decorated with golden threads, savoring the embrace of the fluffy pillows sitting at the head one last time. These noble folk didn't know how lucky they were to have such cushy lives. She certainly hadn't when she was young, but after all she had been through, she cherished the moments where she could just lie down in a soft bed.

As much as she would have liked to catch another minute of sleep, her family was waiting in the main hall. She had to get dressed for the day.

Rolling off her bed, the Exalt stumbled over to one of her wardrobes. She threw off her nightgown, carelessly tossing it over her bed as she threw on her uniform.

The Exalt made for the door, patting herself down as she moved to make sure all the buckles were tightly strapped together. A glint of metal caught her eye as she passed by her desk, a mountain of paperwork still piled on top. She paused and turned to her desk, and her gaze fell on the sword leaning against the side, its steel blade flashing sharply.

A frown crossed her face, and she reached for the sword, only to stop the second her fingertips brushed the hilt. After a moment's hesitation, she shook her head, and her hand drew back.

 _Nothing's going to happen today,_ she reassured herself as she opened the door and stepped out into the hall.

People noticed her as she passed by them, clearing out of her path as she strolled by intricately designed gold and green banners. That wasn't to say she didn't turn heads before, it was just that the amount of respect and awe people treated her with was on a completely different level.

As she moved down the stairs leading into the main hall, she heard voices from around the corner. Taking a deep breath, the Exalt let a smile spread itself over her lips before she finally stepped out into the main hall and into view.

Gathered at the center of the room, she found Frederick, a patient smile on his face as he stood in front of her family: Lissa, Chrom, and Emmeryn.

Lissa was the first to notice her. She gave a delighted gasp, and the Exalt barely had enough time to brace herself before Lissa crashed into her, arms tightly wrapped around her torso. She ruffled Lissa's hair with one hand, and the girl started gushing about their trip. As she nodded along, listening to every word of Lissa's story, she lifted her head to see Chrom and Emmeryn, grinning as they made their way over to them, Frederick in tow.

Sweeping her gaze over each and every one of them, the Exalt's smile only grew wider.

 _The Exalt, and a mother of three,_ Lucina thought. _I still can't believe I've come this far._

* * *

_Twelve years ago..._

Lucina opened her eyes to the searing light of the sun. Groaning, she pushed herself off the grass, running a hand through her long blue hair as she blinked the spots out of her eyes. She looked out to the horizon, over at the grassy plains and rolling hills, at the mountains looming in the distance and the city standing before her, bustling with life as people ran about the streets.

 _People,_ she thought. _Everyone was dead. I really did come back._

Lucina let out a relieved chuckle. She was half tempted to fall back into the grass, to just relax for a moment after all the strife she had been forced to endure. Gods knew she deserved it, and with the world still in one piece, she had time.

Though how much time depended on how far she had come back. Her brows drew down, and she scanned her surroundings for anything she might be familiar with.

Her eyes were instantly drawn to the brand of the Exalt, proudly displayed on the banners hung over the city. She lifted her gaze a bit higher, and to her surprise, she found a castle standing over the city, the afternoon sun casting the capital in a majestic figure in the bright blue sky.

_I'm home. I've forgotten how beautiful it looked without Risen crawling over the streets._

Lucina shook her head clear of those sentimental thoughts. She had a duty to do. Although Ylisstol was hardly the setting for many important events leading to the end, aside from the Exalt's assassination, since she was already there, she might as well make sure everything was alright. She had no idea where she had landed, and she wanted to make sure the timeline was in good shape. The first thing she needed to do would be to find the Exalt, be it Emmeryn or Chrom.

A low rumble came from her stomach. Lucina's brows drew down, and she glared at her treacherous body.

She'd have to find the Exalt after she found something to eat.

Huffing to herself, Lucina made her way through the grassy outskirts and into the city. The streets were filled to the brim with people milling about, and she found herself struggling to keep steady against the tide of people wandering around. Most people might have been annoyed.

This was an odd sort of novelty to her. That's not to say she enjoyed it, it was just that all the noise had a calming effect on her. Silence meant that a Risen ambush was just around the corner.

Eventually, she managed to navigate far enough into the crowd to reach a fruit stand. Her exchange with the shopkeeper was brief, and after handing him a fistful of gold coins she'd brought with her from the future, he gave her a shiny red apple to quell her hunger.

Retreating to the side of the street, Lucina let her eyes roam over the bright red fruit as she leaned against a wall. Finding it satisfactory, she brought it up to her mouth, opening it and preparing to sink her teeth into its flesh.

"Stop it! I don't know what you're talking about!"

A cry halted the apple inches from her teeth, and her head snapped in the direction of the voice. Once again stepping out into the street, her eyes narrowed, and her hand fell to the hilt of the sword strapped to her hip.

She struggled for a second to see over the crowd before they finally parted around the center of the cobblestone street. As she stepped past the crowd, she found a small group of children dressed in rags, jeering loudly. She moved closer, and that's when she finally saw what they were all gathered around: a large boy kicking a smaller blonde girl in a pink dress.

"I'm sure you don't know anything, brat!" the boy said with a snarl. "Your father didn't have to go to war, did he?"

He kicked her again, and the girl let out another pained gasp.

Lucina's hand left her sword, but her lips pulled down in a scowl. She cleared her throat, and all eyes immediately went to her.

"Leave the girl alone," she said, stepping forward. The children paled, and in an instant they vanished into the crowd, leaving her alone with the whimpering child on the floor.

Lucina's eyes softened. Seeing the girl curled up in the middle of the road broke her heart and reminded her of all the children she had seen orphaned by Risen attacks. Quietly, she knelt down beside the girl.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

The girl only replied with a wordless nod.

Lucina glanced around in an attempt to find the girl's parents. When it looked like no one was coming for her, Lucina moved to help the girl up.

The girl stiffened the moment she felt her touch, only to relax when she realized that she wasn't going to hurt her. Lucina pulled the girl into a sitting position with a grunt, and as she dusted off her clothes, she noticed the girl staring at the apple in her other hand. The girl lifted her gaze to meet hers, and Lucina, guessing what she had in mind, handed her the fruit.

"Thank you, miss," the girl muttered as she took the apple in her small hands.

Lucina just smiled at her return. The girl didn't hesitate to take a bite, and Lucina watched for a bit as she noisily chewed on the fruit, taking in the girl's appearance. The pink dress she wore seemed decent enough, although both it and the girl's hair was matted with dirt. The girl's face was scuffed as well, something she'd received from the fight, no doubt.

"What's your name, miss?"

The girl's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Lucina blinked once, then blinked again. She turned to look at the child, and her gaze was met with the girl's eyes.

For a second, she debated on telling the girl her name. She briefly entertained the thought of telling the girl her name was Marth, but she decided that, since she couldn't remember ever seeing a girl this young, she probably wasn't important, so it wouldn't hurt to tell her real name.

"Lucina," she said.

"Lucina?" The girl giggled. "That's a pretty name. I like it."

A few more moments passed, the only noise between them the sound of chewing. Lucina regarded the girl for a bit longer, trying to recall if she had met anyone like this girl in the future.

"Do you need me to bring you to your parents?" she asked at last.

At this, the girl stopped chewing. She stared off into the distance, before she replied, "They... left."

"Oh." Lucina felt a little saddened by that. She was all too familiar with children being abandoned by their parents as well; it was something Severa often talked about, and it couldn't have been any easier for the girl in front of her.

"Well, who's taking care of you now?"

"My sister."

"Then do you need me to bring you to your sister?"

The girl swallowed, before she replied, "I was gonna find her myself, but you can help."

"I see," Lucina said, nodding slowly. "So, what do you need me to do?"

"Help me look for them."

"Alright." Lucina made to stand up, but a small tug from the corner of her skirt stopped her. She looked down to see the blonde girl clutching the fabric.

"Help me look for them from here," the girl amended.

Lucina frowned, confused. "What?"

"My sister says that when you're lost, you stay where you are."

"I don't think she meant that for somewhere as big as the city."

The girl paused, putting a finger to her chin, before she said, "If my sister meant that, she would have told me."

"Maybe she thought you would understand it by yourself."

"Understand what?"

"That you're not supposed to stay in one place if you're lost in the city."

"But she never told me what to do if I'm lost in the city, so I'm going to stay here."

Lucina frowned, frustrated now. There were no young children in the future, the threat of the Fell Dragon being a bigger issue there. She hadn't known arguing with one could be so repetitive, though.

"Why don't we try to find where you live, first?" she said. "Do you think you can remember that? I can help you get there."

"Yeah."

"Where is it, then?"

The girl pointed over Lucina's head. She turned to follow the girl's finger, and her eyes widened when she saw where the girl was pointing to: Castle Ylisse.

Blonde hair. Pale blue eyes. She hadn't realized it at first since the girl's eyes had been light enough to be mistaken for grey, but slowly Lucina began to connect the dots.

The girl chose that moment to shout out, "Oh, there's my sister!" She jumped to her feet, and she started waving her hands wildly and yelled, "Hey Em! Over here!"

Lucina whirled around, eyes only growing wider by the second. Stepping out of the crowd, she caught sight of a slightly older girl with blonde hair, long green robes draping off from her, and the brand of the Exalt shining brightly on her forehead. She looked very young, like she had only just started growing out, barely the majestic woman she would turn out to be. It was then that it dawned on Lucina that she had been sent back a lot earlier than she had expected to go.

"Lissa!" Emmeryn cried out, and she rushed forward to wrap the girl next to Lucina in her arms. "Where have you been? I've been worried sick!"

"Sorry Em," the girl said, her voice muffled in her sister's robes. "I wasn't gonna stay away forever. I got lost, but then this nice lady helped me."

"Really?" Emmeryn turned to Lucina before she could disappear. "And who are you?"

"Marth," Lucina blurted out.

Lissa gave her a confused look at that. "You said your name was Lucina."

"I-That was a mistake."

"Which is it, then?" Emmeryn asked.

"You may call me Marth."

"Lucina sounds prettier," Lissa said, sounding disappointed. "Were you pretending your name was Lucina because it sounded prettier?"

Lucina blinked. "What?"

"That's okay if you do. I do it sometimes too."

"Well, whatever your name may be," Emmeryn said, sounding a bit conflicted about that, "the royal family of Ylisse owes you a debt of gratitude."

"It's really no trouble at all," Lucina replied, and she unconsciously took a step back. "I just found her wandering the street."

"She saved me from some mean children!" Lissa chipped in, digging Lucina a deeper grave.

"Is that so?" Emmeryn's eyes strayed to Lucina's side. It took her a moment to realize that she was looking at her sword. "I see you know how to use a sword," she said. "How would you like to serve the house of Ylisse?"

"I-I don't think I have the time."

"I insist. At the very least, come with us back to the castle so I can pay you for your efforts. The House of Ylisse never lets a good deed go unrewarded, isn't that right Chrom?"

Emmeryn turned to look over her shoulder, and Lucina's breath caught in her throat. She hadn't noticed before, but while she had been busy talking to Emmeryn, another familiar figure had approached them: her father, Chrom. That same mop of blue hair still adorned his head, the brand displayed on his shoulder, and although he was a lot shorter and less muscular, she could still recognize those same blue eyes that adorned her face. The uncaring expression, though, was new.

"If she has other things to do, you shouldn't bother her," he said, surprising her with his cold response. The Chrom she knew would never act like this.

"Chrom!" Emmeryn said in a scolding tone. She looked back at Lucina. "I'm sorry about my brother. I'd really appreciate it if you could accept my gratitude, and I'm sure Lissa would too."

A feeling of dread pooled in her stomach. Had she already butchered the timeline? If she had, who knew what sort of disaster this change could cause.

A tug on her skirt brought her attention to the floor, and once again, Lissa had her hands wrapped around the hem of her coat.

"Please come with us, miss," she said, gazing up at her with pleading eyes. "You said you'd help me get home."

"Alright," she said, holding up her hands in surrender. "I'll go with you."

Inside, however, she wondered, _Just what have I gotten myself into?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a plot bunny that sprung up while I was trying to get in the holiday spirit. I'd like to think this works as a one-shot, but I do plan on doing more with this. It might take a while, though, depending on if I can find a better way to manage my time so I can juggle between three works. Otherwise, wait for me to finish Over the River before you expect more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently Emmeryn became the Exalt at ten. I was going to change their ages back, but then I realized that having a two-year-old Lissa do all that she's done so far might have been too much of a stretch, so I'm retconning Emmeryn becoming the Exalt at the age of ten to the age of twelve. I didn't even mean to do it, but I'll just have to work with what I've got.

History had never been Lucina's strongest subject. As much as her mother had tried to drill it into her head when she was a child, Lucina had avoided those sessions like the plague, preferring to spend her time playing with her friends. It was a decision she had come to regret since she had never expected to come back this far and now, she wouldn't be able to tell what had changed in the timeline. She didn't know what to expect from this time.

Thankfully, marketplaces seemed to be one of the few things that stayed the same, no matter how far back she went. Exchanging gold for goods; that was all there was to it. Simple enough to persist as it was, simple enough for someone like her to understand. There was something calming about watching the townsfolk go about their simple lives. It was something she never had.

What she didn't understand was what Lissa was so excited about. It was like someone had flipped a switch, and her energy levels had shot up and hit the sky.

"What's got you so excited?" Lucina asked her.

Lissa gave her a good, long look, before she said, "I made a new friend."

"A friend?" Lucina chuckled. "Yes. Having a friend is a good thing indeed."

A friend, huh? From what Owain had said about his mother, she was a very bright and friendly woman, someone who must have had many friends in her lifetime.

"Well, I hope your friendship lasts for a long time. If you keep them close, they'll save you from trouble no matter what. Gods know how many times they've pulled me from it."

"Oh? Where are they now?"

Lucina frowned. She looked back at Chrom, who was scowling at the road like it had killed his best friend.

"They're scattered across the land. I was planning on searching for them, actually."

"Oh." Lissa looked devastated.

Lucina stopped, and knelt down beside Lissa. "What's the matter?"

"It's... we just met, and you're going to leave soon."

"I might stay for a while, as I said."

"You will?" Lissa's face brightened in an instant.

"Yes. There are some things I need to find out before I go." Lucina sent another look at Chrom. Not that he noticed, too busy burning a hole through the cobblestone. She turned back to Lissa, then she asked, "Why does it matter to you?"

"I don't want you to leave. I'll be lonely without you."

"But don't you have a friend now?"

Lissa looked her dead in the eyes. "My new friend is you."

"Me?"

To say Lucina was surprised would be an understatement. Horrified would have been a better word. The way Lissa looked at her told her it was no jest. Yet another change she'd brought upon the timeline, something she would have to fix.

"I'm not the best person to call a friend," Lucina said. "I don't think I've played any games since I was seven, so I'm not the most fun person."

"You can't be any more boring than being a princess," Lissa mumbled.

"Boring is good. Boring is safe. I never realized how nice boring was until I got older."

"It sounds like you've had a poor life. You have my sympathy," Emmeryn said, and she placed a hand on her shoulder. When Lucina looked back, Emmeryn gave her a soft smile. It was a smile she'd only heard of in stories from her father. To see it in person...

It felt nice.

"You don't need to offer me such," Lucina said, brushing the hand off her shoulder. "It can't be helped."

"That's more reason you have to stay with us," Lissa said.

Lucina sighed, and she looked to the floor. "There's nothing I would love more, believe me, but I'm afraid I can never come home."

She winced a second later, realizing her mistake the moment it left her mouth.

"Huh?"

"What I meant to say was... it's sort of a painful reminder of home. I... I'd like to avoid crossing that bridge, for now at least."

Lissa only thought about it for a second, but she bought the explanation easily enough. Chrom and Emmeryn, though, were not going to be easily convinced, if the looks she was getting from both of them were any indication.

Emmeryn frowned, and her eyes spoke of worry, but she chose to remain silent.

Chrom, on the other hand, wasn't as content to let the topic sit.

"A reminder of your home?" he said, scoffing. "And what, exactly, is the home you hail from?"

Emmeryn sent him a glare. "If Lucina does not wish to share, let it be."

"If it concerns your safety, then I'm afraid I'll have to insist. You don't seem to understand what it's like to be a leader."

"You are many things, Chrom, but what do you know about leadership?" Emmeryn sighed.

"More than you. Father taught me everything he knew about how to lead. I was with him when those Plegian dogs killed him and mom. Where were you?"

Emmeryn stopped. It took Lucina a second to realize that she'd gone strangely quiet as well. She looked back, and she saw an emotion that could only be described as complex flash across her face.

"Chrom. I know you were close to our father. You weren't the only one who loved him. I know you believe me to hate him, for all I've done to repeal his policies, but I did love him. I still do."

Chrom's face twisted in anger, and he whirled to face Emmeryn. "His policies are his legacy! How can you say you love him when all you want to do is wipe away all that we have left of him?"

"What kind of a legacy are laws that repress the people of Ylisse and force them into senseless bloodshed?" Emmeryn took a breath, her shoulders shaking. "His death shook all of us, but I couldn't let my love for him blind me to the kind of ruler he was. He kind father he may have been, but to the people, he was a ruler who threw thousands to the spears of Plegia without so much as a second glance."

"Well, you've done a good job so far to make them forget," Chrom said, shooting a glance around them.

Lucina followed her gaze, and she found it met with angry looks all around the street. It couldn't have been for anything she had done. So then why...

Lucina glanced back at Emmeryn, whose head seemed to be shrinking further into her robe with each passing second.

_They're mad at her? This isn't what the past was like. In his stories about Aunt Emmeryn, he said she was loved by her people._ Lucina frowned. _Perhaps he simply forgot. Yes, that must be it. I can't even remember what it was I last ate in the future, so maybe it was like that._

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a cry.

"Help! They're getting away!"

Lucina barely had time to blink before a haggard man brushed past her, a trail of gold coins spilling out from a pouch on his side. As he vanished into the crowd, two soldiers burst out in front of her, hot on the thief's trail. They yelled for the crowd to get out of the way, but the crowd, either too absorbed in their lives to care, or out of spite from the way their glares shifted from Emmeryn to the soldiers, barely shuffled to the side by a few inches.

"What should we do?" Lissa said as the soldiers, already tired of waiting for the people to move, pushed through the shoppers. A loud series of protests rose from the crowd, and with each shout, Chrom's face twisted further into a scowl.

"I know what father would do," he said, firm resolve hardening his voice.

"Chrom, wait!" Emmeryn said.

But Chrom wouldn't listen, and he drew the steel sword from the scabbard at his side, charing in after the soldiers. Glancing between her brother's disappearing form, and Lucina and Lissa, Emmeryn's face fell into despair.

"Take care of Lissa," she said to Lucina.

Then she gave one last look at Lissa, before running after her brother, her cloak fluttering behind her. As Emmeryn vanished from sight, the crowd's voices started to die down. It only took a few minutes for the crowd to finally calm down, they dispersed back into their daily lives.

With all the excitement gone, Lissa turned to Lucina, her smile a picture of childish innocence.

"So, what now?" she said.

What now? Lucina wasn't exactly sure, and the long stare Lissa was giving wasn't helping. Lucina glanced around, letting her gaze roam over the various shops and stalls at the side of the road, until her eyes finally landed on a blacksmith sign hanging over a door.

She glanced back at the sword at her hip. It had seen her through many battles, but it was heavily worn since there were no blacksmiths around to repair it. The wear and tear of battle normally wouldn't be a problem if she still had Falchion, but she'd given it to her brother before they'd gone back to the past. Sure, it might not have been the smartest move for her, but she wanted to make sure that her brother could protect himself should he ever run into trouble.

She'd been meaning to get a new one ever since she had returned to the past. Besides, her current sword was smeared with the remains of all the Risen she'd killed. Since Risen weren't a thing yet, the strange purple markings on her sword might raise questions from anyone who saw her using it.

"Let's get out of the crowd, first," Lucina said, taking Lissa's hand.

"Okay!"

Lissa didn't argue as Lucina pulled her toward the blacksmith shop. The girl's complete trust reminded her of Cynthia, and for a moment, Lucina found her surrounds a little too quiet despite the chatter of the crowd around them. She shook the thought out of her head, though, and pressed onward.

_Soon,_ she told herself. _It won't be long. I'll search for them as soon as I've got this all sorted out._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, you might be wondering where the other two chapters went. Well, I was in the middle of writing Chapter 4 when I realized; hey, when's the stuff going to get good? We've spent three whole chapters hanging around Castle Ylisse, where's all the "changing the future" Lucina's supposed to get up to?
> 
> So I went back and deleted them. As you can imagine, such a revelation sort of destroyed my motivation to write, which is why this chapter is so short. Heck, most of this is what I was going to put up for Chapter 4, except with Phila swapped for Chrom, and all of the dialogue re-done.
> 
> The next chapter will be in two weeks. Hopefully by then I'll have a better idea of what I'm going to do. I'm currently working on another Fire Emblem story for my Mondays, a buddy-cop romcom featuring Robin and Sumia, but once I get done with that (which shouldn't take too long), I can start working on this weekly. So you can look forward to that.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I changed Robin's gender to male. Why?
> 
> Well, I do the cover art for most of my stories, since I accidentally drew Robin as a guy, I just decided to change the one reference to Robin since it was easier. It wasn't like I had plans for female Robin anyway.

"You should get this one! Or maybe this one!"

Lucina couldn't help but chuckle as she watched Lissa inspect each and every weapon on the rack by the side of the room. Off to the side, the fire spilling out from the furnace cast the room in an orange light, and, in a way, set a nostalgic sort of atmosphere for the scene. Seeing Lissa act so eager about the weapons, it reminded Lucina of her younger years.

Of course, she wasn't just here out of a sense of sentimentalism.

Lucina turned her attention back to the shop countertop, and the man standing behind it. The shopkeeper was a rugged man with broad shoulders and a russet mane running down his neck. His arms, heavily muscled from all the smithwork he did, were surprisingly tender as they handled her blade. The man himself seemed lost in thought as he ran his fingers up the flat side of the blade, so Lucina cleared her throat to bring his attention back to her.

"Oh yes, what is it you want?" the blacksmith said, putting her sword back on the counter.

"Another sword. Exactly like this one," she replied, getting straight to the point.

The blacksmith laughed. "You would not like to make repairs on this one?"

"I need a new one."

"Oi. Perhaps you should show a little more respect to your weapon. It has carried you through many battles, no? It has many scars, it has seen much. Do you truly wish to toss away such a faithful tool?"

Lucina pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yes. I am sure," she replied.

The blacksmith gave her a look. She ignored it. She wasn't here to take opinions from strangers, after all, and after a moment, he broke his stare.

"There is one like this one at end of rack on left side," he said, pointing over her shoulder. "Perhaps you should tell your daughter to retrieve one, since she is so entranced by it."

"My daughter?" Lucina followed his gaze back to Lissa, who was staring down a sword almost identical to the one in the blacksmith's hands. For a moment, she was confused. "That's not–"

The man frowned. "Is she not your daughter? I should hope so, or I will be calling the guards."

That wouldn't be good. She wouldn't be able to change the tide of the Plegia-Ylisse war if she was spending her time rotting away in a dungeon cell.

"She's a daughter of a friend," she said, trying to salvage the situation.

Almost instantly, the blacksmith's face lit up. "Oh. That is understandable. Is much more easier than having child of your own, do you think so?"

"I wouldn't know."

"When you are grown, you will," the blacksmith said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "But enough idle chatter. We are still doing business, are we not?"

"Of course." Lucina turned around, when she almost tripped on the sword laid flat in front of her. She glanced down, and who else would she happen upon except Lissa, holding a sword up for her with a proud smile on her face.

"Is this the sword you wanted?" she asked, pushing it toward her.

"Yes," Lucina said, a little taken aback. Careful not to accidentally cut the girl, she plucked the sword from Lissa's hands and placed it on the countertop.

Side by side with her old sword, Lucina really noticed how old and battered it was compared to the new one. The scratches and purple stains over it stood out next to the sharp glint the new one gave off, untouched by the horrors wrought upon in her future. This new sword would serve her well.

The blacksmith must have noticed the sharp contrast, only his reaction was much more different than hers. "Are you sure you want to replace old weapon? Sword is like good friend, you know. The scars it bears are memory of battles you have survived, and it is not good idea to throw away memory."

"I'm sure," Lucina replied, trying to hide the growing irritation in her voice. "How much for it?"

"A sword is worth eighty-four in gold, but the cherished memory of battle is worth–"

Lucina dropped a bunch of gold coins in front of him before he could finish, not even bothering to count. "Keep the change," she said when he opened his mouth to say something again.

She grabbed the new sword without a second thought, and she turned away to head out the door. Hopefully counting the gold would keep him busy long enough for her to get out the door.

She hadn't even gotten halfway across the room when he called out, "Oi! What do you want with old sword then? Do you want me to keep it?"

Lucina was about to say yes, when Lissa said, "Can I have it?"

The sudden interruption startled Lucina. She had completely forgotten she was there.

"I think you should listen to daughter of friend," the blacksmith said. "From what it looks like, sword is still in very good shape. Is good idea to let little one learn sword early, so she can be staying safe."

A sigh passed through Lucina's lips, before she said, "I wouldn't be a very responsible guardian if I let her cut her arm off with a sword, would I?"

Lissa deflated. Strange considering that she never showed any interest in swords in the future, but Lucina supposed it might just be that she liked to be enthusiastic about everything, something that her son reminded her of by his presence alone.

Seeing her defeated, Lucina felt a little sorry for it. "You know, you live in a castle; you should have no short a supply of them. If you asked Frederick, I bet he'd even teach you how to wield one."

At her suggestion, Lissa's face twisted into a grimace. "Freddy? You mean Captain Maddie's son? All he ever talks about is how good he is at fighting. He's so annoying. I think I'll pass."

Captain Maddie? Oh. Right.

Internally, Lucina hit her forehead at the little slip-up. It was easy to forget she was in the past, where the people she had known had yet to rise to where they had been by the time the Plegia-Ylisse war rolled around. Of course, Lissa wouldn't recognize Frederick as one of the finest warriors in Ylisse. She was lucky Lissa didn't find it strange how she knew of the son of this Captain Maddie either.

"Well, we should get going anyway," Lucina said, grabbing onto Lissa's arm. "We wouldn't want your siblings to wonder where you've run off to, would we?"

Lissa puffed her cheeks in a pout. "Do we have to?"

"Yes. Do you not remember how worried your sister was when she found you?"

"Oh, fine," Lissa said, and she let Lucina guide her out the door.

As they left, the blacksmith piped up, "Wherever you go to, be sure to tell friends and family good things of Gregor's Smithing. I have need of the business."

Lissa waved back to him. "We will!"

"We'll have to see," Lucina added.

As the door closed behind them, a thought struck Lucina.

Gregor? That couldn't have been a coincidence. Could it?

It wasn't long before Lucina found herself and Lissa sitting side by side on the edge of a public fountain. She had convinced Lissa to sit still while they waited for Emmeryn to return, but she had gotten bored incredibly fast. From all the jumping around the girl was doing, Lucina was starting to think that she should tie her up with her belt if only to make sure she didn't get lost again.

She'd never been great with little kids. From what little she could remember from her childhood years, Lucina had never understood what the fuss was about with babies, and had stayed as far away from them as she could. She didn't have much experience either since small children were few and far between in the future, so if Lissa ever decided to run off, she wouldn't know what to do aside from... well, tying her up with her belt.

"Hey, Lucina!"

Lissa's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. When Lucina looked over, she found that, while Lissa was standing still now, her attention was entirely focused on her.

"What is it?" Lucina said, raising an eyebrow.

"What's being a mercenary like?"

Oh yes, she was supposed to be a mercenary. The only problem was, she didn't exactly know what life as a mercenary was supposed to be like. She was a princess. She wasn't used to selling her services as a warrior. If she didn't come up with something soon, her cover story would fall apart.

"I'm afraid I cannot tell such information to someone who isn't a mercenary. I have to keep it secret, otherwise, people might steal my job," she said.

Unfortunately for her, Lissa wasn't swayed that easily. "I promise I won't tell!" she said, grabbing onto Lucina's scarf. "Please please please please!"

In the future, Lissa had been known to be a stubborn soul. Lucina saw a bit of that here, and although she had for the longest time looked up to her aunt for that, this time she wished she was a little less stubborn. She couldn't come up with a cover story on the spot; she needed time to think.

So she distracted Lissa.

"I'll tell," Lucina said, "if you tell me something in return."

"Okay," Lissa said without hesitation.

Lucina wasn't surprised. Lissa was as trusting as she was stubborn. It was another thing she'd heard of and seen from the future. Many people had seen her trust as a weakness, but right now, it was giving Lucina an opportunity to stall for time, an opportunity she wouldn't let slip past her.

She asked the first thing that came to her mind. "Your brother, Chrom. Why is he acting the way he is right now?"

Lissa shrugged. "I don't know."

"Oh." Lucina's shoulders fell in disappointment.

"He wasn't always like this though."

"Oh?" This time, Lucina's voice rose, intrigued.

"Yeah. He used to be more fun. Then mom and dad died, and suddenly he and Em are too busy to play with me! I mean, I don't see what's so bad. They were never around anyway, and..." Lissa trailed off. "Hey. Are you okay? Your face looks kinda funny."

"It's nothing," Lucina said, trying to keep her face as neutral as possible.

Lissa said something else, but Lucina didn't hear it. Panic overtook her mind, as a sudden realization hit her like the Fell Dragon's breath. Grief. That was why Chrom was acting up. It wasn't because of some change to the past. Chrom was acting normal. No one else had changed anything.

The only person who had changed things was her. Who knows how much she had changed already by interacting with the Exalted family? If she changed the mind of a mere peasant girl, it probably wouldn't change all that much, but the Exalted family had an important part to play in the events to come, and any change she made there could have drastic results.

Already, she had given Lissa an interest in swords. She wasn't interested in swords in the future. She had already messed things up, and there was only one way she could avoid doing any more damage.

_I've got to leave,_ she thought. _Maybe Emmeryn can still convince her to be a cleric. Maybe the timeline will set itself back onto the correct path, but as long as I'm here, the future might as well be uncertain._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided to update my other Fire Emblem fic on Saturday instead of every other Monday, which means I can now start updating this weekly. On one hand, that means I can speed up the story, but on the other hand, it's going to mean that my schedule is going to be a lot less flexible. So yay, but also not yay for me.
> 
> Anyway, we're back to where we were before I decided to start re-writing things. What a weird place to be, especially considering how different the two versions of Chapter 2 and 3 ended up, huh.
> 
> Next update will be January 27th. If I don't burn out, that is.


	4. Chapter 4

As a child, stories had always fascinated her. Although hazy, she still had a library of memories of just sitting on her father's lap, listening to his stories. From stories about her mother to stories about his younger days, he had spent hours recounting things for her and her brother. But out of all of them, her favorite ones were the ones about war.

He'd dazzled her with tales of heroics and brushes with death. His stories about war, they excited her. She'd heard them so many times, she could recount the Plegia-Ylisse war off the top of her head. She knew exactly what happened, who died, and what events she needed to prevent to stop the disaster that was to come.

And now all that could come undone; all her knowledge of the future could be reduced to useless fodder because of her.

_Who knows how many things I've just messed up,_ she thought as she slipped through the empty halls under the unmoving gaze of the moon. _If Aunt Lissa doesn't save Robin in Southtown, does that mean Gangrel will win the war? Or if she doesn't save Uncle Ricken at the Border Pass, will Aunt Cordelia never get to kill Yen'fay?_

She needed to wait until the Plegia-Ylisse war to make her move. Any earlier change in the timeline could drastically change the events that would lead to the Fell Dragon's resurrection, and she'd know no more than anyone else.

The best thing she could do was to disappear. If she left now, there was still a chance that Lissa would revert to normal. She'd turned to the healing arts because of Emmeryn; by the time the Plegia-Ylisse war came around, Lucina would be nothing more than a distant memory. As much as it pained her to leave her father to his grief, it was something that had to be done.

_He's going to be fine,_ she told herself, turning a corner into another hallway down the winding maze that was Castle Ylisse. _He still has his sisters to help him. You don't need to be there for him; you just need to make sure he lives._

To anyone unfamiliar with the castle's layout, it could take a very long time for them to find the exit. But Lucina had spent more than half of her life within these walls. Houses came and went, but castles stayed the same. She knew the exit to be just around the corner, and as long as she didn't run into anyone, she would be able to leave before anyone noticed she was gone.

As luck would have it, when she rounded the last corner, someone was standing in the middle of the hall.

Her blue eyes met brown. She froze, and her hand fell to the steel sword at her side. She almost drew it when she heard something hit the ground, but all she found in the carpet was the remnants of a cookie.

Chocolate brown hair and eyes. Angular face. Straight jaw, hanging open.

The name slipped out of her before she could stop herself. "Frederick?"

He was a lot smaller than he was in the future, but there was no mistaking his face. There was no mistaking how his eyes narrowed either.

"How do you know my name?" he said.

Lucina winced. "Lucky guess?"

Frederick's frown deepened. She should have known Frederick the Wary wouldn't buy an excuse like that.

"Are you here to harm the Exalt?" he said.

A fight would alert the guards of her presence, and if they found her fighting Frederick, of all people, she was sure to be put under suspicion. She had to diffuse this, and fast.

"I'm not here to hurt the Exalt," she said, bringing her hand off her sword and raising it to show she was unarmed. "I was just leaving, actually."

"So are you a thief?" He brought his hand up to his side, and that's when Lucina noticed the wooden training sword strapped to his side.

Lucina blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"Mother tells me that if a stranger is entering a castle, they're an assassin, and if they are leaving the castle, they're a thief."

The answer surprised her at first, until she remembered this was Frederick she was talking about.

Stepping forward, she said, "I'm not here to steal anything or hurt anyone."

Immediately she found a wooden blade pressed to her throat. Frederick, at least this one, couldn't have been older than ten, yet he showed no hesitation as he held the weapon up to her.

"Take one step closer and I'll be forced to fight you," he said.

"Well, I don't want to fight you. If you'll just–"

Dull footsteps rang out from somewhere behind her. Someone was coming, and from the determined look in Frederick's eyes, he wasn't going to let her go anytime soon.

Panic rose in her throat, and in her desperation, she decided to forego talking altogether and shoved him down.

The moment he hit the floor, she broke into a run. He called for her to stop, but she ignored him, keeping her eyes glued on the exit door. It grew closer with her every step, the brass knob glimmering in the dim torchlight. Lucina extended her hand to grab it.

Then she saw movement in the corner of her eye. She spun around, holding up her arm to block the incoming strike. Pain shot up her arm as a wooden blade struck her. Acting on instinct, she returned the blow, and she ended up hitting Frederick across the face.

The boy crashed into the wall behind him, before he slumped down, groaning in pain. A jolt of shock went through Lucina. She stepped forward to help him up. Down the hall, a woman stepped into view, casting a long shadow down the hall. Lucina looked between the newcomer. Then Frederick. Then the door.

She went for the door. The floor shook, and footsteps echoed behind her. She didn't dare look back, and in seconds she was already out the door.

The door slammed shut behind her. She leaned up against the door in an instant, taking a deep breath as the sound of her heartbeat pounded in her ears.

As she stopped to breathe, Lucina took a moment to look around her. Just as she had expected, she found herself at the castle's courtyard. The moonlight above her gave the cobblestone floor a silver sheen, and the night sky loomed up in the sky above. Aside from the odd servant milling about and the two merchant wagons in the corner, the courtyard was empty. And to her left, she could see the castle gates. She was almost there.

The only problem was that the gates were closed.

Behind her, she could hear muffled voices. They sounded angry. She had to think of something fast.

The merchant wagons were the obvious solution, and it might be the first place they'd look. As it stood, though, it was the only solution.

Without making a sound, she crept over to the merchant wagons. She looked around, just to make sure no one was watching, before she pulled up the tarp on the second wagon and jumped inside.

Almost as soon as she had gone under the tarp, she heard the door burst open.

"Alright ladies," someone said. Their captain, Lucina assumed. "I want you to look around every rock and under any pillar. That child-punching scoundrel must be found, she must be caught, and she must pay for what she's done."

A small chorus of "Yes ma'am!" followed. Through the tarp, Lucina could see several dark shapes emerge into the light. They fanned out, scouring the courtyard for her.

As she watched, one of the dark shapes stopped. She didn't miss it, and her eyes snapped onto it. Then it started to approach her. Lucina's eyes widened, and her heart jumped.

How had they found her? Had someone been watching her after all? Was her breathing too loud? Her hands clamped over her mouth, but the dark shape still grew larger and larger. Any second, someone would pull back the tarp, and she would be caught.

Then it passed her.

She slumped back in relief.

As she pressed a hand to her chest, and her heart calmed down, a faint memory struck her; she had hidden from the guards all the time when she was a child. It was a game she and the other children had played all the time, mostly under the leadership of Morgan. Never had she imagined that she would get to hide from the castle guards again, and yet here she was. She would have laughed if it didn't mean the end for her, so she settled for a grin instead.

Then she turned around and came face to face with a little girl, a teddy bear clutched to her chest.

The girl opened her mouth. Lucina's hand was faster. The girl looked down at the hand over her mouth, surprised. In the stunned silence that followed, Lucina gave the girl a quick look.

The red ponytail was a dead giveaway. The merchant wagon only made it more obvious.

This was an Anna. Whether this was the one who had served with the Shepherds, she didn't know, but it was impossible to tell them apart anyway. The important thing was, she knew how to keep her quiet.

Lucina fished a coin out from her pocket and showed it to the girl. As she pulled her hand off the girl's mouth, she held a finger to her own lips. The Anna glanced at the coin. Then she glanced at Lucina. She nodded, and Lucina pressed the coin into her hands.

Beneath her, the wagon shook. The clicking of wheels let her know that the wagon had started to move. That was good. That meant she was clear.

"Wait."

Then again, maybe she spoke too soon.

Lucina immediately recognized the speaker as the leader. Her muscles tensed, and her hands clenched into fists.

"What is it? Need another lance already?" she heard the merchant say. Even in the past, they still sounded the same.

There was a pause. Then, footsteps. Getting closer and closer. A dark figure blotted out the moon, stood right above her.

"Oh. Yes. I almost forgot!" the leader said.

"Forgot what? You didn't leave your kid in my wagon, did you?"

"Of course not. I simply forgot to wish you a safe trip. So... have a safe trip, citizen."

"Oh. Thanks a bunch!"

The dark slipped past Lucina. Only when it was completely out of sight did she breathe a sigh of relief. The wagon started again, and this time, no one stopped it.

In the distance, she heard the gates open. The shadow of the castle walls passed overhead, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come. She had escaped.

Lucina peeked out the tarp, just in time to see Castle Ylisse start to shrink in the distance. As she watched it grow smaller, a sentimental pang strummed her heart.

_I'll be back for you, father._

She closed the tarp and turned back around. As she settled into the wagon, she found the girl still watching her. There was no malicious intent she could see, just curiosity. But why?

"What do you want?" Lucina mumbled.

The Anna swept her gaze over Lucina. She bit her lip. "Are you a hero?" she asked after a minute.

"A hero?"

"Yeah. You wanted to hide from those guards. So are you a hero hiding from the bad guards?"

The mind of a child was a mysterious thing. "Where did you–"

The Anna shoved a book in her face. At the top in big bold letters, it read, "Rebel Wars, by George Lucas". Lucina had never heard of it before, but from the title alone, she could guess the story's premise.

"No. I'm not a hero," Lucina said, pushing the book away.

She wanted to save her father. That was all. She didn't want the world to die, it just wasn't the highest thing on her priorities.

The girl frowned. "Then are you a bad guy?"

"What? No, I'm not a bad guy."

"Well, you're either a bad guy or a hero. You can't be both."

"I–" Lucina sighed. She guessed it couldn't be helped, though. The girl was just a child.

Pinching her nose, Lucina said, "I'm a hero."

"But you said you're not a hero."

"I forgot, okay." Lucina sighed again. She slid further down the side of the wagon, and she closed her eyes. It had been a long day. She wanted to sleep.

To her side, she heard the girl shuffle closer. She opened one eye, and she found the girl staring at her again, this time in awe.

"Can you tell me a story?" the girl said.

"A story? What, about knights and dragons?"

The girl tilted her head. "Did you really meet knights and dragons?"

"No. Of course not."

"Then no," the girl said, shaking her head.

"What do you want to hear, then?"

"True stories. I want to hear about your hero things."

Lucina winced. That was going to be a problem.

On one hand, she could tell the girl about her life in the future, but she'd already learned a lesson from telling Lissa her name. She didn't want to risk it. This meant that she'd have to come up with a story for herself.

_Oh well,_ she thought. _It's not like I can keep my identity anymore. Might as well start making a new one right now._

So, propping herself back up against the wagon's sides, she cleared her throat, and she started to talk.

"So... once upon a time, there was a girl. She was born into loving parents, and... she was a knight. But... uh... her parents hated her, so..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, turns out I didn't burn out, which means I was able to write this. Hooray!
> 
> This is probably my 2nd favorite chapter so far, just after the 1st one, simply because stuff actually happens here. It's been two chapters, but the story's finally moving again. Kinda excited to see where this goes. Since it's a weekly thing, that means that I can pump this stuff out more often.
> 
> Next chapter will come out Febuary 3rd.


	5. Chapter 5

_"Leave him alone!"_

_Without thinking, six-year-old Lucina lunged forward. The red-haired boy in front of her widened his eyes, but she tackled him before he could get out of the way, pushing him to the ground. Pain shot up her arm as her arm scraped against a rock._

_Out of the corner of her eye, a rat scurried away, startled by the sudden movement. It crawled over a few cobblestones, and it stopped a few feet away. It was safe, at least for now, and relief washed over Lucina._

_Her relief was short-lived. The ground beneath her shifted, and Lucina yelped as the boy tossed her off him. His auburn eyes narrowed._

_"Don't get in my way," he said, getting to his feet, his shadow blotting out the sun._

_Lucina clenched her fists, grasping at the grass. "He didn't hurt you! Why do you want to hurt him?" she said._

_"It stole Minerva's food, so Minerva gets to eat it. That's just how it works." The boy rolled his eyes like she was stupid for rejecting it._

_Lucina shook her head. "No it doesn't! He can't hurt anybody."_

_The boy huffed in return. "Well it's not my fault it can't defend itself."_

_He stepped forward, eager to try again to get the mouse, but Lucina moved in front of him. He towered over her, a giant compared to her, yet her eyes were filled with nothing but determination._

_"You're not going to touch him!"_

_"Get out of my way," the boy replied, and he shoved her away._

_Lucina stumbled back. She wobbled a bit, but she managed to stay on her feet, and as she steadied herself, she looked back up at the boy._

_"I said leave him alone!"_

_With a yell, she ran at him. Wind rushed beside her head as Lucina ducked under the boy's arm. Not expecting it, the boy stumbled right into her waiting fist._

_The boy grunted. He stepped back, eyes wide. Lucina didn't let up. In a second she was back in his face._

_She lashed out, scratching and kicking and doing as much damage as a five-year-old girl could do. She wasn't going to let him get past her, no matter what._

_With a final punch, she sent the boy stumbling away. He tripped on a rock and hit the floor with a thud. Lucina huffed._

_Then, in a blur of movement, the boy flung sand in her eyes._

_A shriek tore itself from Lucina's lips. Her eyes felt like they had been dipped in a vat of boiling oil. She tried to wipe it away. The dust fell away from her eyes, just in time for her to see a fist rushing toward her._

_Pain exploded from her jaw as his hand slammed into her jaw. For a moment, she was flying. Then something scraped against her shoulder, and she slid over the cobblestones before coming to a stop as she crashed into a wall._

_The world spun, cloaked in a fuzzy veil. A shape emerged from the fog, and as everything came into focus, the boy stood towering over her. Drops of blood speckled his hand, and it shamed her to say that it was hers._

_Something wet prickled the corner of her eyes. They might have been tears. But they couldn't have been; she didn't cry. She wasn't a crybaby, not like Inigo._

_She tried to wipe them away before anyone saw them. Her sleeve came away with a crimson streak down the side. She put her hands under her, and she tried to push herself up. Her arms trembled with the effort. She grunted, and she pushed harder._

_A heavy weight crushed her chest before she could get more than a few inches off the ground. A gasp escaped her, as much as she tried to keep her stupid lips shut. She blinked, and suddenly, everything looked so wobbly and wavy, like looking through a glass of water._

_The boy looked down at her with narrowed eyes. For a second, the weight on her chest vanished. She thought he'd back away, before it returned, only much, much more painful._

_It hurt. It hurt so much, but she couldn't cry. She wasn't a crybaby. She wouldn't cry, no matter how much it hurt._

_Then her father's voice rang out, clear, commanding, strong._

_"Stop!"_

_The weight lifted off her, and in a blue blur, her father stood before her._

_"What do you think you're doing?" he said, his voice an angry hiss._

_The boy, Gerome, muttered something. Lucina strained to hear it, but from what she could see, her father hadn't heard it either._

_"What was that?"_

_"She started it."_

_"I don't care who started it," her father said, crossing his arms. "Violence is never the best answer, even to violence. Do you understand?"_

_Again, Gerome mumbled a reply._

_Her father's tone took on an edge. "I said, do you understand?"_

_Gerome growled. "My mother tells me that, all the time."_

_"Then it's not good if you listen to her. Do I need to call her here as well?"_

_Gerome stiffened. He shook his head, and her father sighed._

_"Then apologize to Lucina," he said, and he motioned toward her._

_Gerome glared at her. A moment passed, and Lucina didn't think he would say anything. He made a noise that might have been an apology, and before Lucina could catch what he said, he ran off, disappearing back inside._

_The moment Gerome was out of sight, her father's shoulders slumped. All the angry energy he had spilled out in one, long breath, and when he turned around and knelt down to take her in his arms, his gaze was soft, like the candlelight next to her bed._

_"Are you okay?" he asked._

_Lucina sniffled. "I'm fine," she said, wiping her eyes again. "I'm fine, now that I have you."_

* * *

Lucina had only ever seen her father as one thing: a hero. Whenever she had been in trouble, he had stepped in to protect her. It was because of him that she always stepped in to help people who couldn't help themselves. And right now?

It seemed she needed to do just that.

A shout rang out. "Hey! Hands off that!"

In an instant, Lucina was out of the tarp. It only took her seconds to take in everything around her: the bandits, wrapped in drab brown and green, hauling wares from the wagon, the sword pointed at the merchant, her five identical children huddled behind her.

"Stop!" she said, drawing her blade in a rasp of steel.

All eyes turned to her. Faintly, she heard the merchant murmur, "How'd she get in there?"

In the future, there had been so few people left, and they couldn't afford to have conflict with each other. Bandits had become a thing of legend, the low-level grunts heroes such as her father had fought off at the beginning of their tales. She supposed that made this the beginning of her own story.

"I will not stand for this!" she said, and she leveled the tip of her sword at the white-haired brigand standing over the family of merchants. The leader, she assumed.

The bandit looked confused, if only for a moment. The second it passed, his face twisted into a scowl.

"Of course. I should've expected hired help," the bandit grumbled.

Lucina scoffed. She would have felt insulted, but it was an obvious assumption, however incorrect it may be.

"I am no sellsword!" she said, swiping her sword down.

"Then you have no business here," the bandit said.

Lucina's eyes narrowed. "I would disagree. Although I have no ties to them, I cannot stand idle while you lot rob these poor, helpless merchants."

The bandit's head tilted, and his white hair fell over his face. "Rob the–" He shook his head and frowned. "This woman is hardly a poor–"

Lucina didn't hear whatever he had been about to say. With a cry, she leaped off the edge of the cart, and she lunged for the bandit leader.

She had cut down droves of Risen to get to the past. Although there were the few Risen who were deadly warriors, for the most part, they were unskilled fighters, relying on numbers to wear down the opponent. Lucina thought this would be the same.

How skilled could a bandit be, after all?

The two blades met in a shower of sparks. Lucina jumped away. The bandit slashed across at her in a clumsy, two-handed stroke, but she was already out of reach.

She landed in a crouch a few feet away. The bandit swung again, cutting a deep gash in the ground. Like a bird, she danced out of reach yet again. Then, as the bandit drew his sword back, she charged forward.

A cloud of dust swept up as a breeze trailed after her. She raised her steel sword, the blade glinting in the harsh sunlight below, before she brought it back down in a streak of silver.

Her attack slid down the bandit's blade. This time, the bandit hurled her away. Lucina barely had time to recover when he came charging in.

The bandit slashed down at her. Lucina raised her sword to block it.

A clang echoed in the clearing, and Lucina's sword clattered to the ground. Lucina stumbled back, surprised, but the bandit chased after her.

The bandit's sword thrust forward. Lucina stepped to the side, and the sword flew past her. As the bandit drew his sword away, a trail of blood followed.

Lucina's eyes widened. Her hand flew to the shallow cut on her stomach. She stepped away in an attempt to put more space between them. The bandit gave her no such chance, and his blade came crashing down on her again.

Lucina jumped back, and her coat ruffled in the wind. The sword slammed down on the dirt in front of her. Instead of pulling it back, the bandit dug his weapon deeper into the ground, using it as a vault to close the gap.

A gasp escaped her as the bandit drove his knee into her stomach. She lurched forward, her lungs completely empty, only for the bandit to drag the pommel of his sword into her face.

CRACK!

Lucina cried out, and her vision exploded into stars. As she stumbled away, trying to keep herself from tripping over her own legs, her heel hit the wheel of one of the wagons behind her.

She fell back with a startled yelp. Pain lanced up her spine, and as she tried to bring her vision back into focus, she felt something wet run down her face.

Carefully, she put a hand to her face. From what she could feel, her nose was bent at an odd angle. When she pulled her hand away, she saw her own blood pooled between her fingers, a sight that sent a cold feeling through her head.

Something tickled her neck. She glanced down, and when she found the tip of a sword pressed up against her chin, a pit opened in her stomach.

She was outmatched and alone. She had no friends to pull her out this time, and as she saw the bandit raise his sword to finish her off, the one thought that resounded in her head was: _Sorry, father. I've let you down._

...

No. Not yet.

Despair turned to rage, and she grasped at the dust beneath her.

She hadn't clawed her way back from the future to be killed by some bandit in the middle of nowhere. She'd come back here to save her father, and by the gods she was going to do it, no matter who got in her way.

"Sorry for this," she muttered under her breath.

"Sorry?" The bandit frowned. "What fo–"

Before he had the chance to finish, Lucina grabbed a handful of dust and hurled it at his face.

The bandit cursed, and his hands flew to his face, a ring on his left hand. He waved his sword in front of him, like a child warding off monsters in the dark. Lucina dove under his wild swings, and in one swift motion, she grabbed her sword and leaped to her feet.

As the bandit opened his eyes, Lucina lunged at him. She extended her sword in an attempt to run him through.

The bandit just reached out and grabbed her arm. He dragged her through and smashed his elbow into her face.

This time, it was Lucina's turn to back away. She kept her sword between the two of them, and as she wiped another streak of blood from her face, she scowled. Her eyes fell on the bandit leader, but, to her dread, another bandit had stepped up beside him. She tensed, expecting a fight.

Instead, the bandit leaned into the bandit leader's side, and he whispered something. The bandit leader's face pulled into a scowl, but after the bandit spoke, he nodded. He twirled his sword, put it away, and shot Lucina a glare.

"Had I more time, I'd finish you off," he said, turning away, "but I have other matters to attend to."

With a wave over his shoulder, the bandit disappeared into the trees, the other bandits following close behind. She listened to the sound of his footsteps fade into the distance, and the moment she could no longer hear the sound of leaves rustling in the undergrowth, she let out a sigh of relief.

And promptly crumbled to her knees.

As the adrenaline drained from her body, her wounds started to throb, and Lucina realized how hurt she was.

_What... what happened?_ she thought, staring blankly at the ground.

Lucina was no stranger to losing. In her timeline, fighting the Risen was a constant uphill battle. Yet this felt different.

_I lost to a lowly bandit. If father saw me now, he'd be ashamed._

She was ashamed too. She had lost what should have been an easy battle, and she'd resorted to a dirty tactic to survive. If just surviving the past was this hard, how was she to change it?

A cough snapped her out of her thoughts. She glanced over her shoulder to find the merchant looking down at her.

"Hey, champ," the Anna said, raising an eyebrow. "That was quite a beating you took. Can you walk away?"

Lucina grunted. "There's no need to worry. I've taken worse," she said. She planted her sword into the ground, and, using her steel sword to support her weight, she pulled herself to her feet. She only got halfway up before her arm gave out, and the fell back to the dirt.

Huffing in annoyance, Lucina eyed the merchant from the side. "Actually, do you think you could give me something to patch myself up? A vulnerary, a heal staff, something of the like?"

The Anna touched a finger to her chin and hummed. "Do you have sixty gold on hand?" she asked after a moment of thought.

"Sixty? A vulnerary only costs thir–" Lucina cut herself off with a pained hiss. She should have known better than to try to negotiate prices with an Anna. "No. I don't."

"Well, I'm afraid my hands are tied," the Anna said, giving her a sheepish grin. "If I give you a freebie–"

"All your customers will expect things for free, I know. Don't patronize me."

"I wish I could help, but business comes first."

"Yes. You don't need to tell me twice. Just..." Lucina waved her away with a disgusted groan. "Leave. Before those bandits get second thoughts."

She turned away, but not before catching a, "Sheesh. What's her problem?" from the merchant.

She heard the merchant family board the wagons. She heard the sound of wheels clicking over the dirt road. Then, her surroundings faded back into silence, leaving her alone in the middle of a dusty clearing, surrounded by trees.

With no one around, Lucina tried to get to her feet again. This time, she managed to stand. As she pulled her sword from the ground and slid it back into its sheath, her shoulders dropped.

So much for the start of her story.

Taking a glance down the road, Lucina thought, _The first thing I should do is find a place to stay. If I want to save the world, I should catch up with the world around me. That way, I won't stand out._

She took a step down the road, and a sharp pain spiked up her leg. As she winced, she added, _And heal up. I wouldn't want to bleed out long before the Plegia-Ylisse war hits._

Before she could take another step, something pressed against the back of her leg.

Lucina jumped in surprise. Her sword was out in an instant, and she pointed it down, ready to skewer the little red-haired girl standing at her feet.

Wait, what?

Lucina stumbled back, even more surprised. The girl, just as startled, her shriek muffled by the teddy bear she held to her chest.

They stared at each other for a moment.

Lucina was the first to speak.

"And now I have to deal with you, too," she said, pulling a hand over her hair. "I'm hardly surprised your mother left you behind. You all look identical."

The merchant girl gave her an angry pout. "My mother didn't lose me. I left."

Lucina nodded. "Of course. Now, where do you think your mother headed off to, the north, or the–" Then she realized what the merchant girl had said, and she whirled on her, face paling. "Wait. You left?"

"Yeah."

"But why?"

"I want to go with you."

Lucina palmed her face. "I don't need your help."

"Maybe not," the merchant girl murmured, dragging her tiny sandal through the dirt, "but you saved us. I'm not going to let you leave alone. My mother didn't say thank you, so I'm doing it for her."

"A vulnerary would have sufficed."

"Yeah. But you're my first customer. That deserves something special."

"So you want to join me?"

"Yeah." At Lucina's frown, she added, "I took sleeping stuff with me. You don't have to worry about me." She motioned over her shoulder, and Lucina saw a large backpack behind the merchant girl.

Glancing back at the merchant girl, she said, "Your mother will worry. All mothers do."

"Not my mother," the merchant girl said, rolling her eyes. "Like you said, we all look the same. When she loses a daughter, she won't notice. Now come on! The people won't save themselves! They'll be throwing their purses at us when they see us coming!"

The merchant girl burst off down the road. She ran a few feet before she noticed that Lucina wasn't with her. When she looked back and found Lucina in the exact same spot she had been before, she frowned.

"What are you waiting for?" she asked, and she started tapping her foot against the road.

Lucina just motioned to the cuts running down her body. "I can't run."

"Oh. That."

The merchant girl lowered her backpack to the ground. She stuck her hand in it, digging around for a little bit, before she pulled out a vulnerary canteen and offered it to Lucina.

"You can pay for it later," she said.

Lucina just stared down at the canteen like it was something she had never seen before. Eyeing the merchant girl cautiously, she took it and unscrewed the cap.

_What a strange day this has turned out to be,_ she thought as she rubbed the contents over her wounds.

* * *

Gaius really didn't see what the problem was. He'd been caught. So what? The others got caught all the time, and they never got told off.

Apparently, their leader thought otherwise.

"What were you thinking?" the white-haired man hissed. "I thought I told you Themis Square is off-limits."

Gaius's lollipop came out of his mouth with a pop. "I don't see what's the problem, Geralt. Themis Square is where all the rich folk frolic around. If you can snag a purse from there, we won't have to go out for a month."

"It's also swarming with guards. I've not had a single man escape arrest in there."

"Aside from me."

"Yes. That," the bandit leader, Geralt hissed through gritted teeth. "But taking on the guards and the Exalted family are two different things."

Gaius huffed. "Could you blame me for thinking I could beat him? How am I supposed to tell one rich snob apart from the other? He just looked like another spoiled brat to me."

"A spoiled brat with training from the best knights in Ylisse. The Exalted family is hardly conspicuous, with those tattoos plastered over their foreheads."

Gaius opened his mouth. When he couldn't think of anything, he popped his lollipop back into his mouth.

"You can't rely on me to always break you out, you know," Geralt said, putting his hands on his hips. "A great thief has to be able to stand on his own."

"I'm a great thief!" Gaius mumbled. "I could break myself out if I wanted to, so I'm not worried. You know what you should be worried about? Why treat only me like this. Why don't you smack the others around like this?"

"Because the others don't have a sister who would murder me if she ever found out about your little misadventures."

Gaius stiffened, and his green eyes stuck to the floor. "You... you won't tell her about this, won't you?"

"Of course not," Geralt said, softening his tone. "Don't get me wrong, she's great, but I think you can agree that she's a little too protective of you. I never learned all I did, cooped up in the cave. A boy's gotta go out into the world, learn how to find his way in the world. Besides, I value your life as much as you do."

"Thank you."

"Hey. Chin up. What's a mentor for?"

Before Gaius could react, Geralt plunged a hand into his hair and ruffled it around. Gaius let out an angry squeak. He reached up to grab his hand, but Geralt pulled away.

Gaius stepped away and growled. Geralt laughed.

"Hey, what's this?" Gaius said, holding a ring up.

Geralt's laughter died in an instant. He looked down at his left hand, and, finding it empty, his face twisted into a scowl.

"Why you little–"

This time, it was Gaius's turn to laugh as Geralt lunged for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hurt me I love Gerome I swear.
> 
> Also, look! It's Jeralt from Three Houses, but with a "G" instead of a "J". How quaint. I promise, I'm not going to start shucking out OCs like my friend shucks out reddit memes; if an OC's there, it's because they have a purpose. If OCs are not your thing, I'll try to keep the importance of OCs down to a minimum, or try to put in cannon characters instead.
> 
> It appears my brief disappearance has been noticed by someone. I was suffering a bad case of writer's block, so I didn't write or publish anything that week. Sorry about that, but now I have returned to give you this extra-long chapter (at least, to my low-ass standards).
> 
> I can't say that it'll be a permanent return, though; school's been breathing down my neck, so I can't promise that I'll be back to pumping out these weekly updates as regularly as the windmill from Teletubbies pumps out drugs. What I can say is that I'll certainly try my hardest to get these out, and that when I do update, it will be on a Monday!
> 
> Anyway, I'll stop putting the update dates down at the bottom, since there's no guarantee when I'll be able to write out another chapter. I really like this story, and I'd like to see it to the end. I'm not going to abandon this any time soon, I just need a bit of wiggle-room for my schedule.
> 
> With that, I'll see you all some Monday in the foreseeable future!


	6. Chapter 6

Lucina didn't think she'd ever been more happy to see a town emerge from the woods. The walk felt like hours, even though Lucina was sure it had only been a few minutes.

Even with most of her wounds healing up, her arms still hurt like Naga's holy fire. Exhaustion, while not an unfamiliar adversary, was one she was unused to dealing with alone. Usually, she'd catch a ride on Gerome's wyvern or Cynthia's pegasus.

_This is why we agreed to never travel alone,_ Lucina thought with a grimace.

Oh well. No reason to dwell on it now. The best thing she could do was press on.

As she approached, she noticed two guards standing in front of the gate cut into the wall surrounding the town. One of the guards stiffened before she even got within three hundred feet of the town; unsurprising, considering how much her bright blue attire stood out from the deep green of the forest.

What did surprise her was that, when the guard elbowed his companion, stirring him to attention, their weapons lowered to point at her.

"Hey! You!" the gatekeeper said.

Lucina stopped. She pointed to herself, confused. "Me?"

"Yes, you." The gatekeeper cleared his voice. "Do you have any business here?"

Lucina frowned. Normally, people were more than eager to let her through, but she was a mercenary now; not the most trustworthy profession, she'd admit.

"Not really. I am simply a mercenary looking for someone to pay for my services."

The gatekeeper exchanged a glance with his partner. "You wouldn't happen to have any companions hiding in the woods, would you?"

Confused, Lucina looked over her shoulder and scanned the forest. "I do not believe so."

The guards didn't seem satisfied with her answer. They seemed more resigned if anything. As one of the guards pulled a notepad out, the gatekeeper turned back to her. "What's your name, ma'am?"

"Lucina."

The gatekeeper looked over at his partner, but he was already jotting something down. As he lifted his quill off the paper, he mumbled something to the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper nodded. Then he turned to Lucina.

"Alright. We'll let you through."

The guards let their weapons return to their sides. Letting a smile take to her lips, she continued forward under the watchful gaze. As she passed under the gate, Lucina relaxed. She didn't think she had enough strength for another fight, even if there were only two guards.

She entered the town to the sight of a bustling crowd in the town square up ahead. As she strolled down the street, she allowed her eyes to wander to the buildings towering over her, bright and lively in the midday sun. Birdsongs from the forest trailed in behind her, and from the town square, she could just barely catch a whiff of someone cooking meat over the fire.

There was a homey feeling to it all. Just walking through the street, Lucina felt at ease.

_It must be nice, living in a place like this,_ she thought. _At least it's a lot less busy than Ylisstol, so the chances of me bumping into someone I know are slim._

"So, what is the plan, boss?"

Lucina almost jumped at the voice coming from beside her. She looked down to find two very bored red eyes staring up at her.

Right. She had almost forgotten about the merchant girl who had up and declared herself her companion.

Lucina opened her mouth, only to realize she didn't exactly have a plan in mind. A place to rest didn't sound like a bad idea if her aching body was anything to go by.

"We need to find an inn."

"Good idea," the Anna said, and she smirked. Or, at least she tried to. On her small, girlish face, she looked more cheerful than coy.

Lucina chuckled.

"How cheap do you think we can get one for?"

That question wiped the smile off her face. She didn't have any money on her. She spent the last of it on her sword. She wouldn't be able to get a room cheap, let alone any room at all.

"We're... not going to look for a place to say," she said. Seeing the Anna's confused frown, she added, "We are going to an inn to find... a tavern. Yes, a tavern."

"A tavern? Why?"

"Because people like to talk in taverns. It's my best bet to find work."

A good drink loosened lips, or so the saying went. It was either that, or Uncle Gaius had been messing with her. It wouldn't be the first time.

"Oh. Alright!" the Anna said, understanding dawning on her face.

As Lucina watched the Anna run toward the town square, she narrowed her eyes, suspicious. Although she'd never met the Anna of her time, she'd met many of her sisters. The only thing they'd ever seemed focused on was making as much money as they could. Surely this one was no different.

_What is her plan? Why the acting?_ Lucina thought.

"Hey! Are you going to make me wait, or do you need another vulnerary?"

Lucina blinked, and she saw the Anna standing down the road, her hands on her hips as her foot rapped against the road.

"If it's the second one, you'd better be prepared to pay up," the Anna said, irritated. "I'm not going to give you another freebie."

"No. It's fine," Lucina said, shaking her head. "I got lost in my thoughts. That is all."

* * *

When Lucina stepped through the rough, wooden door, no one paid her heed. She slipped quietly into the crowded room, stepping past patrons without a word.

On the other hand, when the Anna entered the room, everyone turned to look.

"Do you think the inn down the street would charge us less?" was the first thing out of her mouth. "How cheap do you think they'll sell us a drink for?"

From behind the bar, Lucina heard the bartender give an angry mumble. Not too impressed, it seemed.

"That won't matter," Lucina said, turning to the Anna, "because you won't be getting any."

The Anna gave her a long stare, before she said, "Fair enough."

They walked over to the bar at the front to take a seat, the other patrons watching their every move. Lucina pulled out a stool and sat down, but when the Anna tried to do the same, she found her stool rooted in place. She looked up, and she found the bartender reaching across the bar, holding onto the stool.

"No children here," he said. It looked like she wasn't going to get away with that jab scot-free.

"You wouldn't turn down a paying customer, would you?" the Anna said, looking up at him with big, pleading eyes.

"I can't accept money from children either." Without missing a beat, he looked over her shoulder and yelled, "Iris!"

A large shadow fell over them. The Anna turned around, and when she found herself looking up at a giant of a woman, her eyes widened.

Lucina watched as the woman, Iris, hauled the girl off her feet. The Anna kicked and hissed like a little red-haired cat, but the woman didn't budge. Lucina found it strangely entertaining, and as the woman carried the Anna out the door, a smile crept up her face.

"Oi."

A rough voice called her attention from beside her. She turned to look. The moment she did, she froze up, instant recognition keeping her in place.

The short, prickly red hair. The rigid, rectangular face, unblemished by the wrinkles she knew would take to his face with age, but still marred with some of the same scars. His eyes even shone with the same, teasing energy she'd only heard of from some of the other children. There was no doubt about it; this was certainly the Gregor her father had fought alongside with.

Thankfully, she managed to keep her mouth shut before she could blurt out something stupid like she'd done with Frederick. Some of it must have still shown on her face, even through the mask she was wearing, since his eyebrow shot up at an alarming rate.

"You see something you like, no?" he said, his tone teasing.

Thankfully he seemed to have mistaken her intent. Internally, Lucina sighed in relief. She had only seen this man in passing before he'd died, but there was no mistaking that face. He had a rather unique way of speaking, so that only confirmed her suspicions.

When his eyebrow only went up further, Lucina realized that she probably should have responded ages ago. "Ah, no. You simply remind me of someone I met before."

Gregor, or who she assumed was Gregor, barked a laugh. "A-ha-ha! Then you must have met Igor's brother! Him and Igor, we look very much the same, so many people have confusion about who is who."

"I see," Lucina said, nodding slowly. As she let her gaze fall back to the bar, though, a certain discrepancy hit her like the broad side of a wagon.

_Did he just say Igor?_ Lucina frowned, and she shook her head. _No, he certainly said Gregor. I must have just misheard it, that is all._

Seeing her look away, it only seemed to make him determined to catch her attention again. "Must be very had, taking care of child, no?" he said, and he motioned to the door behind them just as the giant woman came back through, sans the red-haired girl in her arms.

"Oh, yes. Very much so," she said, not really focused on the conversation.

Gregor seemed to find this very humorous; the laughter rattling Lucina's left ear was very loud, like she had told him some brilliant joke, or, more likely, he'd just made her the butt of some brilliant joke.

"I would not know," he said between peals of laughter. "Igor has never raised child. If anything, he is child, because he is baby brother."

"I... see," Lucina said again, a little slower.

Now that she'd stopped to take a look at him, she saw that he looked to be older than her, if only a little bit. He had been the oldest of the Shepherds, after all. Not only that, but he'd been a mercenary before he joined the Shepherds, and Lucina realized that if anyone could give her advice on this whole "being a mercenary thing", it was him.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Lucina beat him to it.

"How can I become a mercenary?"

Not expecting the question, Gregor shifted back. A frown marred his face, and he glanced away momentarily. "You are mercenary too?"

"Not for long, but yes. I am a mercenary."

Gregor had a laugh at that. "Oh? Why is girl out, selling sword to people instead of having sword sold to her?"

"I... I am sorry, I don't follow."

Gregor rolled his eyes and gave a long sigh. "And the people say Igor cannot understand Ylisse-tongue." He paused, mulling over his words, before he said, "You have much money, yet you do not look like knight, and you wander like wild pig."

Lucina stayed quiet. After a moment she asked, "How did you know?"

"That is easy. You have soft blue coat. No sellsword has enough gold for coat such as that."

Lucina cursed. Of all the things to give her away, her clothing, obvious as it had been, hadn't crossed her mind. The only problem was; she didn't want to get rid of it either.

Bundling up her coat and clutching it to her chest, Lucina said, "This coat was a gift from my father."

"And what would father think if such a pretty coat was blemished with many cuts?"

"He would not have minded. Not that whatever he might think matters much now."

"Ah." An understanding dawned on Gregor, and as he pulled away from Lucina, he said, "Igor understands. He is much the same."

"You lost your parents as well?" This had come as a surprise to Lucina. None of the other children had mentioned it.

"To bandit-scum. Igor's brother, Gregor, is all he has left."

"Your brother's name is Gregor?" Now Lucina was sure she had gotten something wrong.

"Yes. Is there something that is confusing you?"

"No. It's just... I was sure your name was Gregor."

"Then you have old-people memory." Gregor, sorry, Igor, jabbed her with his elbow. "Igor–apologies, I–thinks he has mentioned his name is Igor very short time ago."

"You have. I just misheard it. The fault is entirely my own."

"If you say so." Igor glanced around and hummed like he was making a very hard decision, before he turned and looked her dead-set in the eyes.

"Very well," he said. "Igor will share you some of his secrets."

"You will?"

"Yes. It is not easy, caring for little one with no help from mother and father. It will not be good if Igor left you alone. He is gentleman, after all." Leaning close to her, like he was helping her plan treason, he whispered, "It is good idea to take any job you get, even work for free."

"For free? But does it not go against the whole idea of being a mercenary?"

"It is," Igor seemed a little downcast, admitting it to her, "but people, they are not so trusting of a new baby face, like Igor. They will hire if people talk about you, but if you want people talking about you, you need to do many jobs, and even if you are young and have baby face, people will ask for work if you work for free."

"That doesn't sound very bright."

A familiar voice came from Lucina's other side, and when she looked back over, she had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed once she was sure the little merchant girl sitting beside her was not simply a mirage. "Didn't the bartender kick you out?"

"Oh, that old barrel of booze?" The Anna shrugged. "As it turns out, he didn't pay Iris over there very well. Don't tell me I'm going to have to buy your silence as well."

"Do you have any money with you?"

"No. Mom always kept her money with her, so I would've never gotten a chance to lighten her purse." She sounded more disappointed in the fact that she'd never get to do it than the fact that she'd come up with the idea at all.

"Then how did you pay for her silence?"

"With a vulnerary." The Anna motioned to her backpack, which, Lucina noticed, had one last odd lump sticking out of it. "Apparently, she'd been saving up for one for her brother. I offered to give her one, in exchange for a generous deal."

"How is child knowing so much already?" Igor whispered into Lucina's ear. "Igor fears nothing but this... he might have to make exception."

"I do not know," Lucina replied. She turned back to the Anna, arms crossed, but she'd already moved on before Lucina could scold her.

"So, what were we talking about? I just heard 'free' and assumed it was bad."

Igor looked none too pleased about the interruption. "Oi. Child should not speak when adults are speaking. Is not polite."

The Anna's mouth opened to protest. A dull thud from upstairs interrupted her. Lucina glanced over to the side, leaning back to look past Igor. A set of stairs sat beside the bar, going up to the rooms upstairs, she assumed.

She heard another thump, and a young couple emerged from the stairs. From the way their bright clothes stood out from the drab greens and browns of the common folk scattered around the room, Lucina could easily tell that these two were nobles. The light, blue-striped armor padding the man marked him out as a cavalier, but nothing else about them seemed to stand out, although she could have sworn she had seen that shade of red hair before.

Igor saw them too, and the second his eyes landed on them, they lit up like Inigo the moment some unsuspecting lass entered his line of sight.

"We need to go. Our boy needs us," the man whispered, his voice just barely carrying over to her.

The woman, his wife, Lucina assumed, threw a wary glance around the room. "Are you sure it's safe to take the roads alone? With all the bandits watching the paths, I fear we may not be able to make it back to Themis unscathed."

"I'm afraid we can only afford to go alone. Unless we meet someone willing to accompany us for free, we wouldn't be able to pay them." The man shook his head, clearly distraught.

Igor turned to give Lucina a wink. That didn't bode well. A worried frown crossed her face, but before she could stop him, Igor turned back to the couple and raised his hand.

"You two! With funny dress!"

The couple looked over at him, his chest puffed out like a bird. He opened his mouth to say something, but when his hand fell to his side and grasped the air, his brows drew down. His mouth closed, and his eyes fell to the floor around him in a frantic search. It seemed he had lost something, a weapon, from the looks of it.

As he searched, his eyes rose from the floor to look about the room. Whatever it was he'd lost, when his gaze stopped at the table of the corner, Lucina could tell he'd found it. And from the way he scowled, he didn't look too pleased about it.

"Oi!" he called to the other side of the room. "Hands off! That is mine!"

Igor stood up out of his chair and strode across Lucina's vision. As he disappeared into the crowd of patrons, Lucina heard the Anna to her side clear her throat. She turned to the small girl, who only motioned to the couple at the stairs.

"Now's your chance!" she said, giving her a look that was just a little too innocent.

Lucina's eyes narrowed. As much as she didn't like merchants, though, she did have a point. She spun herself back to the couple, only to find them already heading toward the door.

Her stool slid back with a loud creak as she got to her feet. Waving her hand, she called after them, "Hey!"

When they turned to face her, she said, "So, what's this I hear about bandits?"

The couple glanced at each other, a little pensive. "I'm sorry," the wife said, stepping forward, "but we would not be able to pay for your services."

"I don't believe I mentioned pay, did I? A bit of experience is all I need for now."

The couple looked surprised at that. They looked at each other again. The wife frowned. The husband nodded. The wife's frown softened, and she shrugged. A silent conversation passed between them, and by the time they turned back to Lucina, it appeared that they had made a decision.

"Bring your things. Themis isn't exactly a half-hour ride from here," the husband said.

A small part of her hissed at the prospect of having more to do. She'd been through worse, having spent days marching through Risen-infested territories.

A princess, forced into the life of a mercenary. When she'd been sent to the past, she never considered her life would turn out like this. But this was how her life was going to be now. The only thing she could do was steel herself for the journey ahead, and press on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I managed to not burn out for once!
> 
> Also, I finally have somewhere to go. Well, more focus on where to go, anyway. Unpacking some plot bits, setting things in motion. Normal people things.
> 
> That's all I really have to say. I'll see you all some other Monday.


	7. Chapter 7

_Light crept into the wagon, prying Lucina's eyes open. As she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, groggily, she looked outside. In the forest that stretched beyond, the sun stretched over the treetops, painting the leaves gold as they flickered in the wind, crackling and shimmering like a fire burning over the woods._

_"Father?" Her voice dipped as she let out a yawn._

_Behind her, she heard a giggle. "I'm afraid not."_

_Lucina looked back, and she saw Aunt Lissa hovering over her shoulder, her face glowing with her usual energy._

_"Where are–" Lucina cut herself off, and she stifled a yawn._

_Aunt Lissa's smile grew. Lucina couldn't help but feel a little undignified at that, and when Aunt Lissa saw her face morph into a pout, she giggled._

_"Sorry," Aunt Lissa said. "You just look so cute."_

_"But where are we?" Lucina said, wanting to steer the conversation away from that. "Are we home yet?"_

_"Oh. Right!" Aunt Lissa giggled again. "I just got distracted by how adorable you are, like a tiny Chrom."_

_"Aunt Lissaaa."_

_"So business-like. You're so much like your mother, you know that? But if you must know, no, we're not home. We're at Themis."_

_"But why?"_

_"Your parents had to visit someone, dear. Little Severa wasn't feeling well, so Chrom thought we should stop by and help."_

_Lucina's scowled. Her aunt patting her head did little to lessen that._

_"Why couldn't you go help?" she said, crossing her arms. "You're a healer. You could go in, heal Severa, and we could go home."_

_"And pass up getting to spend some time with my adorable niece and nephew? No thanks."_

_If she was being honest, Lucina would have preferred Aunt Lissa to spend less time around her "adorable niece", but she didn't say it out loud. No one would like her if she was rude, her mother had told her._

_"Don't you have Owain?" she said instead. "Why do you want to spend so much time with us?"_

_At this, Aunt Lissa let out a laugh. Leaning in like she was sharing some big secret, she whispered, "Don't tell Owain, but you're my favorite kid."_

_Lucina shook her head. "Nuh-uh. I'm father's favorite kid."_

_"Well, you're my favorite kid too."_

_Lucina just groaned. She didn't need to be grown-up to know this was going nowhere. Already, the sweet morning air filled her with energy. The more time she spent cooped up in the back of this wagon, the more restless she became._

_She wanted to go out and play, if only to get away from Aunt Lissa's dumb questions. Her brother would probably agree with her as soon as he woke up, so she might as well bring him along too, but as she looked around the wagon, her brother was nowhere to be found._

_"Aunt Lissa?" she said, sweeping her gaze through the wagon again. "Where's my brother?"_

_"Your brother?"_

_Finally, Lissa moved from her place beside Lucina as she followed her eyes around the wagon. A frown crossed her lips, but a second later, it disappeared._

_"Oh, he's with your mother," Aunt Lissa said. "He woke up when your parents left. When he realized they were going, he clung onto your mother's dress like honey, so they decided to bring him with them."_

_This time, it was Lucina's turn to frown. "Why didn't you wake me up?"_

_"You just looked so cute, all bundled up in your blankets," Aunt Lissa said. "I couldn't find it in me to bring you out of whatever sweet dreams you were having."_

_Lucina huffed, looking none too pleased about it. She didn't complain, though. She wasn't a baby._

_Instead, she turned away to hide her growing annoyance, and she said, "Well, it's not like I'm going to miss anything important. Only dumb people would want to watch healers heal people."_

_"Hey!" Aunt Lissa's smile vanished in an instant, and it was her turn to frown. "What's wrong with being a healer?"_

_"Healers are boring," Lucina said. "Swords are better. When I grow up, I want to be just like my father."_

_"Healing people can be just as cool as swinging a sword!"_

_"Oh yeah? Prove it!"_

_Aunt Lissa broke her stare, and she started looking around. Lucina let a smile break through her face. She was sure she had her there._

_Then, Aunt Lissa turned back to her and said, "How about I teach you how to heal people, just to show you how cool healers can be?"_

_Lucina made a face. "No. I don't want to be a healer."_

_"Just this once? If you don't like it, you don't have to do this ever again."_

_Lucina turned away. She didn't want to hear it, and she wanted to make sure Aunt Lissa knew._

_"If you do it, I'm sure your father will be proud of you."_

_Then again, maybe she'd spoken too soon. She glanced over, still a little skeptical. "Why?"_

_"Your father knows how cool healers can be. If you can show him you can heal people too, I'm sure he'll be impressed."_

_If Lucina was being honest, that sounded fake. Her father was too strong to believe nonsense like that. But... it couldn't hurt, could it?_

* * *

It felt like it had been ages since Lucina had last visited Themis. It was nowhere new to her, yet she was more unfamiliar with it than she would have liked. It was no Castle Ylisse, but it did have a place in her past. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about it.

Regardless of whatever value Themis may have held for her in the past, none of it mattered now. She was no longer Lucina the daughter of Chrom. She was Lucina the mercenary. It wasn't a name that meant anything, at least for now, but she would make it mean something. She would have to if she wanted to survive long enough to lend her father a hand in the coming war.

It was a simple plan. Having someone tag along for the ride, however–that complicated things a little.

"Surely you could afford us a coin? Maybe two?"

The Anna clung to the side of the red-headed noblewoman as they marched down the dirt path like how she held onto her teddy bear in the other hand. As the noblewoman glanced away, the Anna moved in front of her, still grasping her coat. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucina saw her husband smile, a bemused expression on his face. Lucina was considerably less so.

"Anna," she called after her. "I believe this kind sir would appreciate if you ceased bothering him."

The Anna ignored her, and instead, returned to pestering the noblewoman.

"I mean, you can't expect us to work for free? We can barely feed ourselves right now. We need all the gold we can scrounge up!"

Lucina sighed into her palm, and she pinched the bridge of her nose. While what she had said was by no means false, the amount of discomfort the noblewoman was showing, it irritated her to see the Anna continue in her pursuit.

"Well... um..." the noblewoman mumbled and nervously looked away again. "I'd help if I could but... you see... we don't have much money to spare."

"I'm not saying you don't, but if you can afford clothes like these, surely you can bear to part with two–no, four coins," the Anna said, patting the noblewoman's robes for emphasis.

As the nobleman chuckled at what he probably thought was an "innocent pestering", his wife only wilted further.

"Ah... I... well, the thing is..." The noblewoman's brow creased. "Your... older sister, was it? She said it was fine."

As she said that, Lucina cleared her throat. It should have been a clear message to the Anna, a message that went right over her head.

Stepping away from the noblewoman for a moment, the Anna asked, "Okay, Mrs..."

"Regina, dear."

"Mrs. Regina-dear–"

"No, just Regina."

The Anna let out a frustrated huff. "Mrs. Regina. Me and my mother," she motioned to Lucina, "have been traveling for days. We haven't got a wink of sleep for weeks on end, and–when was the last time we ate? Three days ago? Just take a look at her; doesn't she just look miserable?" she said, and she pointed to Lucina.

Lucina decided then that she had to put a stop to this. "Anna, don't–"

"Ignore her," the Anna cut her off. "My point is, she's tired, she's hungry. Do you really think she's going to act smart right now?"

Lucina didn't think a child would be capable of lying as much as the Anna had just done–she had been an honest girl, her brother had always told her–but it seemed today was a day for surprises. This... this was no better than robbery, but what could she have expected from an Anna. She had to put a stop to this.

As the noblewoman opened her mouth, probably to make a stupid decision, Lucina stepped between her and the Anna.

"Miss?" she said. "May I have a word with my... 'daughter'?"

"Oh! Of course," the noblewoman replied.

The Anna opened her mouth to protest, but Lucina dragged her away before she could say a word. Putting distance between them and the noble couple, as soon as she was fairly sure they were out of earshot, Lucina knelt down and grasped the Anna by the shoulders.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

The Anna pouted. "What? Do you not want money?"

"Not from them! The woman said they barely had any with them, it is rude to take what little they have."

"But you can't go around saving people if you don't have food."

"There won't be anyone to save if they starve because we took everything from them."

The Anna groaned. "It's just one! I'm sure the next people we save won't be as poor as them."

Lucina's eyes narrowed. Of course, she couldn't have expected anything worse. She started to reply when something stopped her.

Growing up, Lucina had heard her father's friends, especially Vaike, brag about warriors like them having a "sixth sense". This mysterious sense had always enchanted her, since being able to feel things around you sounded so amazing.

Now that she had actually fought back hordes of undead warriors, been forced to survive in a kingdom falling to ruin, and all the other wonderful experiences that came with the end of the world, she could safely say that "sixth sense" was a bit of a lie. In reality, it was more of an awareness, brought by subtle changes in the world around her.

The rustling of leaves. A small twitch in the canopy. A flicker in the gaps between trees. The faint smell of blood. All signs that they were no longer along.

The Anna squeaked as Lucina pushed her out of the way. Her fingers closed around the hilt of her sword. As the leaves above parted, a silver streak tore from Lucina's side. The noblewoman, standing a few feet away, turned just in time to see a purple blur rush toward her. Her lips opened in a scream.

Sparks filled the air as a heavy axeblade ground against Lucina's sword. Lucina grit her teeth, and her arms screamed as her two hands struggled to hold up her sword. Slowly, her strength began to falter under the weight of the axe.

She tried to push back against her attacker, but it was no use. The edge inched closer to her face. As it pushed into the tip of her nose Lucina threw it to the side.

The weapon thudded to the ground. Quickly, Lucina jumped back, and she finally caught a glimpse of her attacker: a large, balding man with a barbarian's garb draped over his muscular body. Streaks of purple ran down his body, and in his hands, he hefted a large iron axe as he watched her with an ugly grin plastered on his face.

Lucina had never seen this man before in her life, neither in the future, or past. It was safe to assume he was merely a lowly bandit, then.

Keeping an eye on the noble couple behind her, Lucina tightened her grip on her sword. It was just one lowly bandit. Even if the man was half as skilled as that bandit leader, she could probably defeat him, no thanks to the clumsy weapon in his arms.

At least, that was what she thought before the second bandit, wearing red in the place of purple, appeared behind him from the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I ever mention this fic is my favorite child? Because if not, well... this fic is my favorite child.
> 
> Honestly, Anna is such a blast to write. She is best girl, and I will not take any other opinions since this is the internet, so anything you might have to say is going straight into the "tastes like cat food" tier. Jokes aside, I found it a little strange that, while both Anna and Donnel are spotpass characters, Donnel has way more supports than her. Gameplay-wise, I kind of see how it might be an issue if the devs let Anna marry whoever she wanted, but I also think it's a crying shame that Anna has so few supports. Which is probably why I introduced her so early.
> 
> I would have liked it if I could've crammed more in here, but frankly, I just didn't have the time to do it well enough for my liking (Anything I write after 11:30 pm is guaranteed to be nonsense. Unless it's Hitting the Books. Somehow). All that's here is some set-up for the following chapters. If you can guess who these bandits are (the nobles are OCs. The bandits are not), you get an internet cookie and my love.
> 
> Anyway, I'll see you all next Monday at best, some other Monday at worst.


	8. Chapter 8

"Go," Lucina hissed to the couple behind her.

They didn't argue, and from the corner of her eye, Lucina watched as their blue robes disappeared into the thick foliage.

The bandits exchanged looks. "You're not getting away as easy as that!" the red bandit yelled. Behind him, the purple bandit reached over his back.

A glimmer of light shone against the edge of a blade. The purple bandit pulled his arm back, a throwing axe in hand.

He swung forward and the axe flew out of his grasp. It sailed through the air, but in a shower of sparks, it crashed back into the ground.

Lucina stood over it, her shoulders tensed. Her arm stung from the impact, but at least the two behind her were safe.

The same could hardly be said for her.

The two bandits fixed their gaze on her, as if noticing her for the first time. Their eyebrows raised, and something flashed in their faces. Lucina didn't think she liked what she saw, but it was gone before she could be sure.

In sync, their lips peeled back into matching smirks, their teeth behind rotting and yellow. It was an ugly sight. And that their lips stretched up at the exact same place, and that their eyebrows creased in the exact same manner; Lucina shuddered just looking at it

"What do you think we've got here, Vincent?" the red bandit said.

"What I think?" the purple bandit said. Vincent, the other had called him. "Oh, you know I ain't too good at thinking, Victor."

"Well, you think you could put a little effort? She looks like she deserves it, I say."

"Does she? With her fancy steel sword and all? You can't guess a man's worth by his weapons, we're examples that ain't true."

"Want to test that?" Lucina hissed, and she pointed the tip of her sword between the two of them.

Their grins only grew wider at the exact same time. They took a step away from each other. One step turned to two, and before she knew it, the bandits had begun to spread out.

"Oh, quite the thinker, aren't you?" Victor said. "Quite quick with that tongue of yours, aren't you?"

"Thinker or not, do we really care?" Vincent said. "As long as they fresh, they ought to sell well, don't you think, Victor?"

"I think she's quite the pretty thing, Vincent. She'll sell for a very good sum, and she'll be worth more if we sell those fancy clothes of hers."

"I don't know, Victor. I rather like the look of them. Can we keep the cape, at least?"

"If you can sever it from her."

"Pay attention, child. You're about to learn why no one ever stands in our way around here."

To her right, Victor stopped. To her left, Vincent stopped as well. They crouched down low, keeping their axes in front of them, and as Lucina realized she couldn't keep an eye on one without losing sight of the other, she cursed. From their smug faces, they knew it too.

_It's a bad hand I've been dealt,_ she thought. _Terrible odds haven't stopped us before. If fate won't take my side, I'll have to force it to._

There was only one thing to do.

Lucina gave a cry and charged.

Victor's eyes widened. Behind her, Vincent swore. Lucina closed the gap in seconds, and she thrust her sword forward.

Victor's axe batted her strike aside. Lucina's arm stung from the force, but she jumped back. As her back foot pressed against the earth, she pushed off and cut her blade across.

Victor backed away. Lucina's blade brushed against the animal skin draped over his shoulders. A few hairs fluttered to the ground. As Victor stopped himself, Lucina saw a flash of silver from the edge of her vision.

Lucina dove to the right, and almost a second too late. A dust cloud flew up into the air as Vincent's axe smashed into the dirt path. Lucina spun around, her tip poised to strike. A blur of red caught her eye. Taking her sword in both hands, she swung her blade up to block the oncoming axe.

Her guard almost instantly crumbled. Her arms buckled under the terrible weight of the axe. She poured every ounce of strength she had to keep her blade pressed against the axe. Victor pushed through with ease. To her horror, the blade inched closer and closer to her face.

She grunted, and her foot slipped back. The axe slowed to a halt, stopping just short of cutting into her mask.

A trickle of blood trickled down from the center of her nose.

Lucina pulled away, and her hand flew to her nose. She looked at the trail of blood slipping between her fingers, almost stunned.

"What's the matter?" Victor sneered. "You just learn how to count?"

Lucina saw the axe behind her almost a second too late. She dodged forward, as a strike that would have severed her neck brushed the air behind her. Lucina spun to face Vincent, his axe far-off balance, his guard wide open. Her blade darted out, aimed straight for the heart.

A flicker of movement came in from her right. Lucina's blade met the second axe in a loud clang. On her left, Lucina saw Vincent pull his axe back to his body. Her chance was gone.

Victor snarled, and he leaned closer. Lucina's arms faltered. The axe pressed against her sword inched closer. Her fingers screamed in agony as the hilt of her sword twisted them back, begging for a second of respite.

With a snarl, Lucina spun on her heel and slammed her knee between Victor's legs. His eyes crossed, and for a brief moment, the crushing weight on her lifted. Lucina took the chance and held it tight, pivoting the axe straight into the ground. Already unbalanced, Victor fell right into the flying pommel of her sword.

Blood splattered onto the dirt road. Victor stumbled back, his nose bent like he'd been hit in the face by a cannonball. Lucina took a step back, just in time to avoid a clumsy punch across her face. For a moment, she allowed a small grin to stretch over her face.

Something slammed into the back of her head, and her skull exploded. A cry escaped her lips, and she staggered away. The world around her trembled. Her ears rang, as loud as the Fell Dragon's call.

She turned around, and she caught a splotch of blood on the wood just below the head of Victor's axe. Her eyes widened as she realized just how close she'd come to death. Victor snarled, and he raised his axe again.

The wound on her nose seared as the tip of the axe blade brushed against it. Lucina backed away, and the axe traced a line down her chest, her heart in her throat.

A shadow cast over her from behind. Lucina whirled around. Her sword swung up, catching just below the axe's head. Putting a hand behind the flat of her blade, Lucina shoved the axe into the ground.

Vincent's only reply was to slam his fist into the side of her face.

Lucina's head snapped back. She reeled, her head spinning. As she steadied herself, she opened her eyes just in time to see the wooden shaft barreling toward her.

The axe's handle cracked against her stomach. Lucina wheezed, and she bent over the shaft, gasping for air. Vincent stepped forward to meet her, and his fist crashed into the bottom of her jaw. Her teeth snapped shut so hard she thought she might have cracked a tooth.

Her back slammed against a tree. Above her, the branches rustled, and the uneven creases in the bark stabbed through the cloth at her flesh. She only had enough time to wince before Victor's shadow loomed over her, blocking the sun from view.

With a roar, he embedded the tip of her axe into the tree, so close to her that she could feel the splinters bursting out from the cut brushing against her hip. She thought he'd missed. Then the scarf around her neck tightened its grip, and she realized he had her pinned. She reached down to pull away. Victor shoved her back and pressed the rest of the shaft against her windpipe.

She lifted her gaze. A fist crashing into the side of her face jerked her head back. Vincent had abandoned his axe, buried deep in the dirt behind him, and instead had opted to use his fists. It was adaptability she would have admired at the end of the world, if she weren't on the wrong end of it.

Victor rained blow after blow on her. Lucina kept her arms over her face, but for every blow she blocked, he would land two more. Her stomach, her jaw, her elbows, all made bloody and bruised under the onslaught.

With one last blow against her stomach, Vincent reached through her guard. His fingers wrapped around Lucina's face, his hand smelling of rancid meat and smoke, and he slammed her head against the tree.

Lucina slumped, her mind in a daze. Vaguely, she was aware of a purple shape stepping away from her. Vincent turned around and, with a roar, pulled his axe from the ground in a shower of dirt. Hefting it in his hands, he walked back over to Lucina. She was helpless to watch as he raised it over his shoulder.

"Wait!"

Victor and Vincent glanced behind them. They only looked away for a second. A second was all she needed to pry the wooden handle off her neck.

The two bandits turned back to her, but it was already too late. Lucina let out a yell, and she charged forward. The space between the three of them was too small to swing her sword. So she rammed her skull into Vincent, sending him flying into the red-haired cavalier.

The cavalier's arm wrapped around Vincent's throat almost by instinct. A smile broke out on Lucina's bloodied lips when she noticed the dagger in his hands, poised to strike. Any second, the cavalier would strike. Perhaps it was wrong of her to be so eager for blood, but with her own blood running down the side of her face, she felt it was justified.

When the dagger remained frozen in the air, though, her smile wavered.

"What are you doing?" she growled.

The red-haired cavalier's head shot up, and as he blinked, a frown crossed his face, like he was waking up out of a trance. "Huh?"

"Kill him!"

"B-but–"

Vincent cut him off. "Don't just stand there! Make yourself useful, you little twat!"

Lucina's blood ran cold. _What did he mean by..._

Then she saw an axeblade, half-hidden by the trees, rise over the cavalier's shoulder.

"Behind you!" she shouted, though she knew it would do him no good.

"What–" This time, the cavalier cut himself off with a cry of pain as the axe buried itself into his shoulder. Vincent tore himself from the cavalier's grasp, and the cavalier fell to the floor. Beneath him, Lucina saw blood pool out on the dirt floor. Her eyes darted up, hoping to catch a glimpse of the attacker.

Out from the shadows, a boy, not much younger than herself, stepped into the clearing, his long red hair flowing back behind his shoulders. The animal fur draped over his shoulders marked him as another bandit.

"I thought you wanted me to watch," the third bandit said. "You said I'd have to learn by watching you two."

"Well, we're going to give you a hands-on lesson now," Vincent shot back. He pointed down to the motionless cavalier at his feet. "How'd you like to kill your first snot-nosed nobleman?"

"Not him!" Victor said before the third bandit could move. "He's already done for." He motioned to Lucina. "Come have a go at this one instead."

Lucina tensed. A feeling of dread crept up on her as all three pairs of eyes returned to her, and it dawned on her that this might be a battle she couldn't win.

"Lucina! Catch!"

For a second time, a voice rang out in the clearing. Lucina only caught a glimpse of brown in the air, sailing up and over in the air, a small shape against the sun, before gravity took hold, and it came down, shattering into pieces on Victor's face.

A clear liquid from inside splattered all over his face. Victor screamed, and his hands flew to his eyes. Lucina didn't hesitate to press the chance.

She tried to lunge forward. Her cape pulled her back. With a frustrated scream, she spun around, grabbed hold of her cape, and pulled.

Her cape ripped apart. From the corner of her gaze, she became aware of Vincent closing in. She charged at the tree instead. Specks of dirt stung her feet as something crashed into the ground behind her. She didn't stop, reaching down and grabbing the other half of her cape as she reached the tree.

Her feet left the ground. Lucina pressed a single boot against the trunk of the tree. Her grip on her sword tightened, before she pushed off the tree and into the air. She flew over the head of Vincent, over the head of the third bandit. Her blade gleamed silver in the sun as she raised it over her head.

The cry tore itself from her throat before she knew what she was saying. "I say when it ends!"

Her blade came down in a blinding stroke of steel. A squelch reached her ears, and something warm and wet splattered against her face. Beside her, Victor gave another cry as his arm flopped to the ground.

Lucina sprung into action the moment she hit the ground. Her sword slid back into its sheath with a rasp. As she heard a dull thud behind her, she sprinted for the downed cavalier. She barely stopped to scoop him up in her arms, before she was back to running.

The leaves and low-hanging branches bit her legs as she crashed through the thicket. She almost didn't notice the familiar crop of red hair peeking out from a bush, barreling through the forest like an angry wyvern.

She didn't stop until the three bandits were out of sight. As soon as she did, all the energy left her. A dry crackle echoed in the woods as the cavalier crashed to the floor. Lucina looked down on his bleeding form, her face blank.

Her legs buckled. With no more bandits around her, her wounds finally caught up to her, and she became aware of how many bruises ran up her arms and her face. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, and with each painful throb, she only seemed to grow weaker.

"You'd better thank me for this, Kjelle," Lucina murmured.

Then her knees finally gave out, and she collapsed on top of the cavalier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has probably been one of the harder chapters to get out. It's lengthy, and there's a lot of action in it, something which I can find hard to write out. I didn't even think I'd make the deadline, but I did. I hope you found it all, at the very least, entertaining, since it took quite some effort to get out.
> 
> Next Monday's the goal. I've got a pretty big thing coming up Friday, so after that, I hope I'll be able to catch a break.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I re-wrote the first half of this chapter. And removed any mention of Robin in the first chapter. Feel free to reread and see what's new.

The second Lucina entered the clearing, the cavalier's arm slung around her shoulders, his wife was on them.

"Reginald! Where did you run off to?" Her eyes trailed down, and when she noticed the trail of blood running down his shoulder, her eyes widened. Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," the nobleman, Reginald, said. "It's just a scratch."

"I don't think it looks like a scratch," Regina said, frowning. She touched the fresh gash on his shoulder. At his pained hiss, she added, "It doesn't sound like it either."

"You don't have to worry, dear. I can walk it off."

"You say that, but you look like you're about to fall over. You need a healer!"

Reginald huffed, and he brushed her hand off his shoulder. "We don't have time for that."

"We'll have even less time if you bleed out on the road!" Turned to Lucina, she said, "Could I have... you know..." She motioned for the cloth hanging off Lucina's arm, the part of her cape that had been severed off.

Lucina smiled, and she handed it over without complaint. Shrugging off an injury, even one as large as that, seemed like such a Sully thing to do.

_I can see where Kjelle's mother got her attitude from,_ she thought.

Reginald mumbled and complained as Regina wrapped the cloth around his arm, and Regina let out a string of apologies every time Reginald winced in pain.

"It would be wise to make sure the cloth is tight enough around the wound," Lucina called out, stopping Regina just as she was tying a knot with the cloth. "You want to make sure the blood won't leak out."

Regina gave her a quick nod, before she undid the knot and tied it again, tighter this time, much to Reginald's chagrin. Lucina found herself reminded of Brady and Noire in a way. Even in the past, she could still find bits of the future, it seemed.

"Where did you learn about healing?" Regina's voice snapped Lucina out of her thoughts, and she glanced over.

"Oh, I picked up a bunch of things from a relative of mine." Lissa's face came to mind.

"Dear, where's the medicine?" Reginald cut in.

"Oh! I–I had it right here with me," Regina said, patting her pockets. "It was right here, I swear."

Behind her, the leaves rustled. Lucina tensed, and her head snapped around, ready for anything. To her relief, it was only the Anna stumbling through the bushes, bent over and gasping for breath, her hair hanging over her face in slick stripes of bright red.

The moment she saw her, Regina's face lit up. "Darling," she said. "You wouldn't happen to have the medicine I gave you to hold, would you?"

"Huh?" Anna took a deep breath. "Yeah, I still have it. Why?"

"I'm going to need it back now."

"Oh! I'll need a minute to find it, okay?" The Anna turned around without missing a beat and set her backpack on the ground.

he rummaged around for a bit, mumbling and tossing things every which way. A map flew past Lucina's head, followed by a sack of coins and a sharpening stone. Every time Lucina thought the girl would run out of things to toss out, the Anna always seemed to find something else to throw out, until the pile next to Lucina reached halfway up to her knee.

After a minute of searching, the Anna said, "That's funny. I could have sworn I put it in here."

"You still had it with you when you ran off, right?" Regina said. "M–maybe you dropped it on the way?"

"Maybe."

"I just hope it isn't broken. We really need it."

An image jumped to Lucina's mind, and suddenly she recalled something breaking over Victor's eyes and spilling over his face.

"Wait a minute," she said, whirling on her. "That medicine you two mentioned, you didn't happen to throw it at the bandits, did you?"

The Anna's eyes widened in realization, and she hit her forehead. "Oh yeah! That's where it went! Silly me."

"What?" Regina's panicked voice cut through the clearing. "You can't be serious! Our son will die if he doesn't get that medicine!"

"Calm down, Regina," Reginald said, pulling her close. "Deep breaths. There's no need to panic yet. I'm sure we can–"

Lucina froze. "Your son?"

Whatever Reginald said next, Lucina missed it, too busy reeling from the shock.

_Kjelle never mentioned any uncles or aunts,_ she thought. _Sully must have been a single child, so that means... these people aren't all that important after all._

"Hey!" Lucina blinked, and she found the nobleman giving her a worried look. "Are you okay?"

Lucina just nodded, and she took a seat on the ground. Behind her, the two nobles started to discuss something. What it was, she was sure wasn't all that important anyway.

"Hey, it's not that big of a deal!" the Anna's voice broke through, the one familiar voice in the air. "You say medicine is expensive? Not if you know the right seller, and I just so happen to know a few."

"Thank you for the offer, but we would prefer to see a doctor for medicine," the nobleman said.

Anna waved her hand dismissively. "Medicine is medicine. How hard can it be to find what you need? If you know what you're looking for, I can guarantee I'll be able to find it for cheaper than any old four-eyes is going to be able to sell it for." She paused, and she tapped her chin. "You did remember what it was, do you?"

"I have it written down somewhere." The nobleman turned around to reach for a satchel slung over his hip. As he did, the cloth wrapped around his shoulder twisted, and he winced.

"You don't look well," The noblewoman stepped in, and put a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Are you sure you don't want to sit down?"

"I can sit down later. We have to get home!"

"I'm sure Duke Themis has his best mages looking after our son."

"But I want to get back and help!"

"You can help if you let your wounds heal."

Lucina watched the two bicker, and she found herself growing impatient. This argument wouldn't matter in the long run, at least considering the fate of Ylisse. She had a long time to prepare for the end of the world, and she didn't want to waste it listening to two very unimportant nobles argue about a stupid wound.

She was so distracted by the argument, she didn't notice the Anna sit down next to her until she spoke.

"They're awfully worried about it."

Lucina almost jumped, startled by the Anna's sudden appearance. "Huh?"

"The cut. It's not that bad, right?"

Strangely enough, Lucina felt the need to defend them. "Not everyone is used to the ways of war, you know. A wound a soldier can shrug off might kill an untrained nobleman."

The Anna's brows drew down. "But he's not untrained. Look, he has armor and a weapon. He's obviously a horse soldier."

"He may be trained, but he isn't trained enough." The hesitant look in his eyes when she yelled for him to kill the bandit came to her mind. Beneath her mask, her eye twitched just thinking about it.

"Oh. Okay."

The Anna let a few more seconds pass in silence, much to Lucina's relief.

"Why don't you help him then?" the Anna said a moment later. "You said you know how to heal people. I have a healing stave in my backpack, and you could probably get him patched up in no time. Plus, you could charge him extra."

"It would only slow me down."

"It can't be any slower than this." The Anna motioned to the two nobles, still arguing.

Lucina let out a slow breath. "Sometimes the best tools are the ones you keep hidden. In this case, they'd expect me to do something about their son."

Fat lot she could do about that. The conclusion was already set; in the past, without someone like her to protect them, the bandits would have robbed them off all their possessions, the medicine included. Their son would have died, with or without her help.

"Okay. I understand. If you stay with them, you can't go find more people to work for. I can understand that."

Lucina's mask hid her frown. Of course an Anna would think like that. It didn't stop Lucina from feeling offended.

She had sold her services as a mercenary, and that came with an Anna-like stigma she wanted nowhere near her. She would have to work to change that. She would be nothing like Anna, that she knew.

* * *

"I don't think I like this, Vincent."

"Calm yourself, Victor. I'm just as angry as you."

"Cutting off my arm like that, who does she think she is?"

"She's not going to live long, Victor, I can tell you that."

"You're taking this remarkable well, don't you think?"

The two bandits shut up in an instant and turned to look at the boy standing behind them, his slick hair shimmering in the sun like it was streaked with grease.

As soon as he laid eyes on him, Vincent sneered. "What was your name again, boy?"

"Garrick."

"Well, Garrick," he said, practically spitting every word, "What do you mean by that?"

Garrick snorted. "I've had men cry for their mothers like a newborn babe when I remove even one of their fingers. Compared to that, your angry ranting is almost serene."

"What in Naga's name does serene every mean?" Victor screeched, and he motioned to the place where his arm had been, now bandaged over. "My arm's cut off!"

Vincent patted him on the back. "There there, Victor. Don't take a crack at the boy just because he's throwing around big words like one of those fancy noblemen."

Victor let out a growl, but he didn't add anything. With that, Vincent turned his attention back to wrapping the bandages around Victor's torso, briefly lifting his other hand to let a vulnerary drip down into the wound.

"You're not going to get her away with it, are you?" Garrick asked. "That mercenary cutting Victor's arm off, I mean."

"What made you think that, boy?" Victor said. "We're the strongest in the kingdom!"

"You're the strongest in the kingdom?"

"Of course! Me and Vincent killed an entire group of priests once. If it weren't for those pesky knights, we'd be ruling up there in the capital. If we let one pesky sellsword get in our way, no one will respect who we are!"

"Why don't we go on the hunt right now, Victor?" Vincent said. "To show the boy how it's done?"

"Yes! I say that's what we do right now!" He shot to his feet and, turning to the boy, he said, "Just you wait. That mercenary's head will hang on our wall by sundown!"

The two bandits gave a loud cheer and turned to follow the dirt road, brightly lit by the sun high in the sky. A cool breeze swept through Garrick's hair as he stood to follow. He watched as they walked, shouting at each other about what they planned to do once they caught up to the mercenary girl. They were so absorbed in plotting their revenge, they never noticed the smirk that spread across Garrick's face.

_Is this the best Ylisse has to offer?_ he thought. _If it is, then we'll have no problem taking over surely._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not my finest work, but it gets the job done. Anna says some things, Lucina learns a few more. If any of you were expecting Sully... well, I'm sorry to disappoint.
> 
> Also, Garrick is here. Remember him?
> 
> Honestly, unless it's Ardri, I find it a bit hard to write for those one-off Fire Emblem bosses. I should really try to make them more distinct.
> 
> Also, I'm trying to get back into an upload schedule, and with my schedule a little bit clearer, I can do more writing, so there's that.
> 
> I'll try to get an update out by March 16th.


	10. Chapter 10

__

_"Lucina!"_

_Six-year-old Lucina stopped in her tracks. If anything had gone wrong, it wasn't her fault. Her mother would lose it if she did anything bad, so she was sure she was the best-behaved girl in the castle._

_When she turned around, however, she didn't see her mother storming down the halls of Castle Themis, but a different woman entirely, her bright pink hair trailing behind her as she made to catch up with Lucina._

_"Aunt Olivia? What are you doing here?" she asked as the woman drew up behind her._

_"Looking for you!" Aunt Olivia said. "When I heard you and your brother were coming to visit, I just had to find you and say hi!"_

_"Oh." Lucina looked around. "Have you seen my brother? I want to play, but he got lost."_

_"Your brother? I think I saw him in the courtyard."_

_Lucina grinned. "Thank you!" she said, and she waved a hand as she turned to leave._

_She'd barely taken a step before Aunt Olivia stopped her._

_"Wait!"_

_Lucina looked back and scowled. At least, she tried to. Aunt Olivia didn't seem bothered by it, though, so it must not have been very good._

_"Before you go," Aunt Olivia said, "I want to take someone with you."_

_Lucina stood a little straighter. "Really? Where?" she said, her gaze flickering around the room like a puppy up from an afternoon nap in the sun._

_When she didn't see anyone, she looked back at Olivia. Only then did she notice the tiny smidge of red hair peeking out from behind her legs._

_"Inigo?" Olivia said, and she pulled a boy out from behind her legs. "Come out and say hi."_

_Lucina stepped up before the boy could speak. It was only polite, after all. "Hi! I'm Lucina Lowel! What's your name?"_

_A moment passed in silence. Lucina frowned, and she tapped her foot. She thought she saw his mouth move, but that was probably her eyes playing tricks on her._

_"Speak up. She can't hear you."_

_This time, Lucina heard something come out of the boy's mouth. It was so soft, she almost missed it._

_"Hi... I'm I–Inigo Red–Redwind."_

_Lucina glanced up at Olivia, half-convinced this boy was broken. Olivia just gave her a soft smile and pushed Inigo toward Lucina._

_"He's very shy," Olivia said. "Do you think you can play with him?"_

_Lucina looked Inigo up and down. He didn't look very strong for a boy. Then again, neither was her brother. And Aunt Olivia had asked nicely, so who was she to say no?_

_Inigo yelped as she grabbed his arm. As she turned and started walking down the hall, dragging Inigo behind her, she said, "I won't let you down, Aunt Olivia!"_

_After all, she would never let any of her family down, or her name wasn't Lucina Lowel._

__

* * *

Up over the treetops, over the rustling leaves, Castle Themis stood in all its glory. Lucina could see the red-tiled roofs on the towers, dusted with pink in the dying sun. Over the top, yellow banners fluttered in the wind, and the castle's spires twirled elegantly as they reached for the sky, every bit as decorated as the lord who owned it.

"I assume we are close?" she asked, just for good measure.

"Indeed," the nobleman said.

"I can't wait to get inside," the noblewoman said. "We'll finally be safe from all this madness."

"Madness, you say?"

The four of them turned around. The bandit twins stood a little farther down the road, their teeth glinting as they smiled. Lucina's sword was out in an instant, the tip leveled at the bandits. She glanced between the two of them, each with a certain resolve in their expressions.

"You think this is madness?" The bandit in purple grinned, but the flickering in his eyes spoke of malice. "I don't know about that. What do you think, Victor?"

"Oh, I'm mad alright. Mad at her."

Lucina's eyes widened, and she found herself staring down Victor's meaty finger. Behind her, the noblewoman whimpered. The bandits noticed it as well, not that it seemed to bother them.

"You can leave," Vincent said, waving them aside. "Our business is not with you."

The two nobles glanced over to her, worried.

"Don't worry about me," she said. "Make for the castle. You'll be safe once the guards see you."

She heard the leaves rustle as the nobles sprinted through, then the sound of fading footsteps. The bandits grinned. They thought she wouldn't stand a chance alone. While that very well may be, she couldn't let it show.

"Victor? Why don't you take the first blow?" Vincent said.

Victor replied with an angry roar. Lucina only had a second to react before a hand axe hurtled toward her. She batted it aside with a sweep of her blade. As soon as the axe flew to the side, Victor lunged for her, another axe already in his hands.

Victor came crashing down onto her like an avalanche. She raised her sword, and their weapons met in a screeching metal clang. Specks of spit scattered onto Lucina's face as Victor snarled, his face twisted with hate. Cutting off his arm seemed to have really upset him.

For a second, his eyes flicked down. She barely had time to register it before his knee slammed into her gut. She bent over, gasping for breath. Her grip on her sword wavered in a moment of weakness.

A moment was all it took for Lucina to find her hand twisted behind her back. Victor pushed her sword away with his axe, and her sword slipped out of her hands. It clattered to the floor. Lucina tried to reach for her sword. Her fingers only brushed against the hilt before Victor kicked it away. Lucina stumbled away. Victor stepped after her, and he pulled his axe back to deliver one final blow.

From behind her, a piece of paper flew into Victor's face. As Lucina caught her breath, she looked over her shoulder. The Anna, half-hidden in the foliage, grimaced, glared at her now empty hand, and stuck it back into her backpack.

"What are you doing?" Lucina yelled.

The Anna froze. Her gaze rose to meet Lucina's, and she gave a sheepish smile.

Behind her, Lucina heard the leaves crinkle. She looked over her shoulder. The edge of an axe blade hovered between her eyes.

Lucina yelped, and she threw herself to the side. Victor cursed as his axe bit the dirt. As he tore his axe out of the ground, Lucina reached for her sword a few feet away. A boot crushed her hand. Lucina howled in pain. Standing over her, Vincent stepped over her and kicked her sword away. A shadow fell over her.

Lucina rolled away, and Victor's axe missed her side by inches. Growling, Victor stepped over her and raised his axe to cleave her down the middle.

A wooden staff hit him in the forehead with a satisfying thunk. Victor stumbled back, and Vincent glanced behind him in surprise. Anna squeaked, and she dove back behind the bushes. The weight on Lucina's arm lifted, and as she pulled her hand to her chest, Lucina watched Vincent storm off after Anna.

The glint of her sword's steel blade caught her eye. Tearing her gaze from Vincent, Lucina pushed herself to her feet. She sprinted for the sword lying on the ground, shining clearly against the dirt. Her hand reached down to grab it.

A red blur entered her vision. The world spun around as someone slammed into Lucina, sending her to the ground again. As Lucina blinked the spots out of her eyes, the sole of a boot drifted into her sight.

With a yell, Victor stomped down on her face. Something cracked. Lucina cried out, and her head snapped to the side. Bits of her mask dug in around her eyes, and the spots in her vision grew bigger.

Through the pulsing feeling in her head, Lucina felt something prod her the back of her foot. She caught sight of her sword, lying next to her. Her fingers clawed at the dirt as she tried to reach for it. Her nails scratched against the polished hilt, but that only pushed it even farther out of reach.

Hot air washed over the side of her air. "Not so fun when you're the one bleeding out on the floor, ain't it?" she heard Victor say, his voice rough and dry, like the ghost of a skeleton in the desert. In his breath, she caught a nasty stench, like the bald head of a vulture neck-deep in a rotting carcass.

"You cost me my arm," Victor continued, and Lucina felt something cold press to the side of her face. "Now, I'm thinking how I should return the favor. Should I cut your arm off too? No, you cost us those two noble snobs. An arm's hardly fair."

From the thicket at the edge of the road, Vincent said, "Stop playing around, Victor! We've still got to catch up with the boy after this!" As he turned back to the forest, Lucina heard him say, "Now where is that stupid brat?"

Victor growled. "If we send the boy after Mr. and Mrs. Redwind, he'll find a way to muck it up." He turned back to her, and his smile returned. "If I must do it quickly, I suppose I'll have to cut off your head, then."

He said something else, but Lucina missed it.

Redwind. Inigo Redwind. And now, for the Redwind name to come up here could only mean those two were Inigo's family.

Lucina gasped as the realization hit her. She'd made a mistake, and Inigo's family was going to suffer for it.

The axe blade hurled straight toward her neck. Victor let out a triumphant cry. Lucina's hands shot out, and she grabbed onto his arms. Her muscles tightened, and slowly, the axe came to a half, stopping it inches away from cutting into her.

Victor's eyes narrowed, and he leaned over her. The weight over Lucina increased, and slowly the axe dropped closer to the tip of her nose. It didn't take much to know she couldn't hold out much longer. So she kicked his feet out from under him instead.

Already unbalanced, Victor hasped as his legs gave out, and he fell to his knees. Lucina pushed back before he could recover. A cloud of dust rushed up as she forced him to the floor, pulling herself back up in the process.

As Victor tried to scramble to his feet, Lucina pulled the healing staff from under her legs. She spun around to face and raised the blunt wooden end of it. With a cry, she slammed it down.

Victor barely managed to roll away, and the end of the staff exploded into wooden shards. Lucina got to her feet, the splintered staff still in her hands. Victor did as well, his axe held over her head. The sweat on his forehead glistened in the sun, pooling in the creases as his face twisted into an expression of rage. He screamed, frustrated that she'd gotten away.

He swung the axe across, aiming to draw a line over her eyes. Lucina ducked, and her hair flew after the axe as it passed over her head. He tried to reverse his swing to catch her on the way back. Lucina rammed her skull into his stomach before he could. His breath blew down her back as she drove it from his lungs, and he stumbled away.

Victor recovered quickly. he wiped an arm across his mouth, and his fingers clenched around the shaft of his axe as he prepared another strike. He never got a chance.

Blood splattered over Lucina's coat. Victor's mouth opened, and he tried to speak. A spurt of blood came flying out instead, adding another red stain on Lucina's sleeve. Lucina twisted her arm, and the splintered end of the staff dug deeper into Victor's neck.

As soon as she tore it free, Victor stumbled forward. He threw out his arms and tried to grab ahold of her coat. Lucina just slipped past him, and she fixed her eyes down the road, a new objective in mind. She broke out into a sprint, and as she took off, she heard Victor's body hid the floor.

None of that was important. Not as important as this. She'd come back to the past to save the Shepherds. She'd gotten careless. She'd messed up.

She had to stop it all before history could change course. Minds could be changed. Weapons could be repaired, but lives couldn't be brought back.

In the distance, she heard a scream. Lucina's eyes narrowed, and she pushed herself to run faster. The forest around her became a blur, and the wind rushed down her face. Up ahead, she could make out two figures struggling against each other. As one of the figures batted the other away, she made out the shape of an axe.

A battle cry escaped her lips. Heads turned to her as she closed in. The younger bandit's eyes widened, and he swept his axe over to cut her down. Lucina crashed into him before he could take a full swing like a boulder barreling downhill.

The young bandit fell back. He brought his axe in front of him in an attempt to keep her away. Lucina reared her staff back and swung. In a single strike, Lucina tore the axe from his hands. He only had time to put his arms up before Lucina pulled her staff back and swung one more time.

A wooden snap echoed over the forest as she cracked the staff across his arms. The bandit stumbled back, tripped, and tumbled to the floor.

Lucina turned her attention to the two nobles. The noblewoman looked fine, albeit a bit shaken. The nobleman, on the other hand, was a lot worse. The cloak wrapped around his shoulder had been ripped to shreds. Two more cuts ran across his chest, and the one on his shoulder had turned an angry shade of dark red.

"What happened?" she asked, then almost hit her head with her staff for asking such an obvious question.

"W-well," the noblewoman said, stumbling over her words, "that young man just jumped out at started attacking–" Her mouth snapped shut and her eyes fixed on something behind Lucina.

Lucina turned around, only to meet a fist to the face. Her mask caved in, and a dozen sharp bits jabbed into her skin. Her head snapped onto him, but his pose held no malice, and his gaze was locked onto her left... eye...

Her hands flew to cover her face. Panic seized her. _He saw the brand._

That panic melted away, replaced with anger. Her mask, a relic from the future she'd brought to hide her identity. And now it was gone. Because of him.

He could not be allowed to reveal who she was.

Her fingers tightened around her staff. She stepped forward. He stepped back, and his eyes widened in fear. Some of her decision must have shown through her face. It didn't matter. He wouldn't live long enough to get away.

"Victor's soul will have justice!"

Lucina stepped back, and an axe blade brushed over her chest. She turned to the side. Vincent returned her gaze with a hateful glare. Dirt scattered about as he ripped his axe from the earth and attacked her.

His swings were wide and telegraphed. With every screech that escaped his lips, he tore through the air with greater ferocity, each strike radiating bloodlust. Lucina tried to step into his guard, but his attacks were so feral he kept forcing her back.

Then her back hit a tree. Lucina cursed. From the corner of her eye, she saw Vincent raise his axe. An idea popped into her head. As he brought his axe down, she pressed her boots against the tree and jumped. The axe whizzed over her head, brushing through her hair. A deep scraping sound shook her eardrums. When she looked back, Vincent stood in front of the tree, his shoulders heaving, a jagged and messy cut running straight through the tree

The trunk groaned. Lucina looked up, and she saw the top of the tree start to tip over. The sound seemed to snap Vincent out of his rage. He gasped, and he tried to get out of the way. Lucina moved faster.

Before he could even take a step, Lucina rushed past him and swept his feet out. He tumbled down, flailing his arms in an attempt to drag her down with him. She stepped just out of reach just as the tree trunk started to fall.

With a creak, the tree splintered off, ignoring Vincent's cries as it crushed him. The leaves rustled for a few moments more, disturbed by the fall, before they fell still and drooped down, dipping into the growing pool of red.

Lucina watched as the blood under the tree soaked into the dirt. The air felt cool against her face as it swept through, and that's when Lucina remembered that her mask had broke. She hid her left eye behind her hand, and her eyes scanned the road for any sign of the young bandit. In the confusion, however, he seemed to have vanished.

"Please, you can't die. We're almost home."

The noblewoman's voice brought her out of her thoughts. Lucina looked back at the pair, still on the ground. The noblewoman held her husband close to her chest, her face wavering like a fading candlewick. The cavalier in her arms only smiled back.

"I'm sorry. I don't think I'll be able to make it," he said. "I can barely move as it is."

Lucina glanced down at the staff in her hand. One end was nothing but splinters, blood soaking the jagged wood. The other end, the healing end, was still intact, its round turquoise jewel shining faintly.

The two nobles turned their heads as she approached. When she caught sight of the heal staff in Lucina's hands, the noblewoman's eyes widened, and she looked up at Lucina, hopeful. Lucina smiled at her.

"Don't worry," she said. "You're not going to die, sir."

She knelt down next to the cavalier and held her staff over his chest. A second passed. Nothing happened at first.

Then the turquoise jewel lit up. A soft blue-green glow spread over the cavalier's chest, and his wounds began to seal. Lucina held it in place a few seconds longer, and when she was sure the wounds had completely closed, she let herself fall back, exhausted.

Just then, a streak of red broke through the leaves. Lucina tensed, and her bloodied staff rose off the ground. The second she realized who it was, though, she allowed it to drop back onto the ground.

"Am-am I too late?" the Anna said, bent over and gasping. She took a good look around the clearing, at the blood pooling under the fallen tree, and the three of them sitting on the floor, and she sighed. "I guess I was."

"Where were you?" Lucina asked.

The Anna straightened herself out. She snapped, and in an instant, her smile returned to her face. "Oh, I was trying to find help. I mean, you almost died against those two last time, so I thought I'd go find help. And you'll never guess who I found!"

As she spoke, three more figures emerged from the treeline. On the flanks, two knights clad in bulky suits of armor stood at attention, their giant shields casting long shadows on the ground. And in the center, a very large nobleman loomed over them, his long blond hair flowing behind him like a river of gold, and a set of pink robes draped over his broad shoulders.

"Lord and Lady Redwind! Are you unharmed? I heard you were attacked by a pair of bandits," the nobleman said, his booming voice shaking the leaves above. Over the treetops, Lucina saw a flock of birds depart for the sky.

"D-duke Themis!" the noblewoman squeaked. "No, we're alright. T-thanks to her." She pointed to Lucina.

Almost immediately, she found herself under the man's gaze. He narrowed his eyes, looking over every inch of her with his blazing amber eyes, and Lucina shrunk back.

"Tell me, what is your name, good madame?" he said.

"Lucina," she blurted out. Anyone else might have shied away. Lucina, however, rose to her feet, dropping her staff as she did so, and held out her hand.

The Duke of Themis looked down at her hand, his expression unreadable. For a moment, Lucina feared she had angered him.

Then his face broke out into a smile, and he grabbed her hand.

"I think we'll get along just fine, Lucina!" he said. "Manners! There aren't many who keep the importance of courtesy in their heads, so to find someone like you is an absolute marvel!"

"I see," Lucina replied, trying her best to keep her face straight while what few bones remained in her hand crackled and popped.

"Duke Themis, at your service!" To her relief, he let go of her hand. "Now, I suppose I should set up accommodations for you and your daughter. Vulneraries for whatever's got in your eye, too. What are we standing around here for? We've got to get back to Castle Themis as soon as we can!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it too action-y? I feel like two action scenes between three chapters is a little much.
> 
> Anyway, things are going to slow down a bit. I want there to be some time to cool off and to develop the characters. Hopefully I can hold off on tossing in another action scene for the next five-ish chapters.
> 
> This is longer than what I've usually done, since I've got more time on my hands now (Thanks quarantine).
> 
> Wishing you all well during this current pandemic. Stay frosty my good readers.
> 
> Feeling a little burnt out about now. Might be some time before the next chapter, you never know.


	11. Chapter 11

The halls of Themis Castle were every bit as lavish as Lucina remembered. She could barely take five steps before passing a or a painting. A few of the landscapes were out of place, and she didn't recognize some of the portraits, but the marble walls were still cast in that same sun-kissed glow. Dragons carved out of the stone still glowered down at her exactly where she remembered them to be.

The Duke of Themis waved his hands, and with one final nod, the two guards at their sides departed, disappearing through a door. As their metallic footsteps faded, the Duke turned back to them.

"Well, I'm sure the two of you would like to return your quarters," he said, clapping his hands together. "You must be exhausted, having traveled so far."

"It was nothing," the nobleman, Reginald, said. "I'm sure you've traveled much farther and–" He cut himself off with a hiss, and his hand flew to his shoulder.

Lucina frowned. Her eyes wandered to the heal staff, or the half that remained intact, in her hands. Maybe she had made a mistake, using it like that.

"No need to sell yourself so low." The Duke waved a hand over his shoulder. "You've collected so many new tales to tell your son, I'm sure."

"Our son." The noblewoman, Regina, put herself in the Duke's path, a pleading look in her eyes. "Please. How is he?"

"Your son? Oh, I'm sure he'll be fine, once we have the medicine with us."

Lucina saw Regina and Reginald exchange nervous looks. Her own gaze fell on Anna, who returned it with a sheepish smile.

Noticing their silence, the Duke turned to face them. "What's that?"

Regina turned to look at her feet. "Well, you see... the thing is..."

"We don't have it. I'm sorry."

The Duke scowled. "Dammit. I knew I shouldn't have trusted that man! Always running low on wares whenever we need them the most."

"No, nothing like that!" Reginald said. "The herbalist you sent us to was more than happy to sell us a concoction."

"Well, why don't you have it then? It didn't get carried off by a wandering flock of wyverns, did it?"

"Of course not. There were just some... accidents along the way, and in the confusion, the concoction was spilled."

"I see." The Duke gave a loud sigh, and he turned away. "Our best clerics are tending to your son right now, but unless you can find a supply of what we need within the castle's gardens, I'm afraid there is nothing we can do."

Regina gasped. Beside her, Reginald looked away and put a hand to her back. Lucina watched, and she felt a small pang, seeing their despair.

"Wait."

All eyes fell on her. Lucina bit her lip and shuffled her feet, not quite sure what to follow with.

"Lucina, was it?" the Duke said. "What do you have to say? Feel free to speak your mind."

"I'm sure I could recreate the medicine for you."

"You?" The Duke raised an eyebrow. "I find it hard to believe a mercenary, even one as well mannered as yourself, could create a substitute for what we need. If you did, surely you would have found a better occupation. An herbalist, perhaps, but nothing quite as low as a sellsword."

"I am no herbalist," Lucina said, "but my mother was."

The Duke huffed. "Your mother was an herbalist? And what might her name be?"

"You wouldn't know her."

"I know every herbalist in Ylisse."

"Well, my mother was from..." Lucina paused, before she said, "Regina Ferox."

"Regina Ferox?" The Duke's chest heaved as he laughed. "I mean no offense to you, but the only thing that comes from those frozen woodlands are big, brutish warriors."

"Surely you can't mean that," Regina said, her voice so soft Lucina almost missed it.

"I mean everything I say. You can't trust a thing that comes out of anyone else's mouth if you don't speak your truths. There's a time and place for brute strength, but I'm afraid our delicate operations require something a bit more refined," the Duke said. With a wave over his shoulder, he turned around and walked away. "Now, I'm sure you'd like to spend some time with your son as you can to catch up and the like, so I'll leave you be."

As soon as he disappeared around the corner, Regina snapped her attention onto Lucina. "You said you knew a little of medicine?"

A little taken aback, Lucina hesitated."I... I did."

"Then could you please help our son?"

"Regina," Reginald said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You heard what the Duke said. She might not be able to help us."

Regina looked over her shoulder and gave him a pleading look. "What other choice do we have?"

"The Duke has his best healers working to keep him alive. Surely they'll come up with something to save his life."

"A little help couldn't hurt. Could it?" She looked back at Lucina, her expression hopeful.

"We barely have enough money to pay her for getting us here." Reginald shook Regina's shoulder. "She's already done enough for us, we can't ask for more–"

"I'll do it."

Lucina's voice cut through their conversation. Both nobles fell quiet, and they looked back at her. A moment passed in stunned silence, the only sound echoing in the softly glowing halls the hiss and crackle of the candles resting on the table beside them.

Reginald regained his composure first. "We don't have anything to pay you with," he said, his eyes falling to the floor. "It is unacceptable that you should have to help us without expecting anything in return."

"We'll be fine," Lucina said before the Anna could have a chance to interrupt. "We'll find a way to survive. Your son might not have the same opportunity."

"Thank you," Regina said. She grabbed Lucina's hand, and when Lucina looked her in the eye, she noticed they were brimming with moisture. "Your word means so much. May Naga bless you for your kindness."

"But won't your daughter be upset?" Reginald said.

"She'll learn to live with it. Isn't that right–" Lucina looked over her shoulder, but, to her surprise, the Anna was gone.

She swept her eyes over the walls, but she couldn't find a trace of the Anna. The second she'd left her to her own devices, the Anna had run off. Probably to go steal something, if Lucina's instinct served her right.

"Where did she run off to?" Regina asked. "The Duke won't be pleased if she causes trouble."

"She'll behave herself," Lucina said.

"Are you sure?"

Lucina frowned, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "If she doesn't, I'll make sure she won't do it again. Now," she said, turning back to the couple, "What can you tell me about this disease?"

* * *

As Anna crept through the hall, she crouched low, making sure to stay silent. Not exactly the hardest thing, since the floor was carpeted. She didn't think she'd ever stepped in something so soft. But that wasn't important right now. At least, not as important as the table set just a little further down.

Before her, treasures sparkled and shone in the sunlight leaking in from the windows, perched high up on the table leaning against the wall. It was like they were teasing her, daring her to climb up and grab them.

With a light touch, she leaned up against the table's legs, reached over the edge, and grabbed a glittering crystal cup. She lifted it a little higher, careful not to scrape the table as she pulled it back, before she brought it down to her level.

Something red flickered in the corner of her eye. The fancy cup was behind her back in an instant, a smile fixed on her lips. She scanned the hall, but no one else was there. She sighed, and she relaxed.

Then she saw it again. Anna stiffened, and her gaze snapped onto it. To her relief, it was just a curtain, fluttering in the wind.

She silently scolded herself. She was sure she was better than thinking some dumb curtain was a guard. As she brought the fancy cup back around, a grin crept up her face.

_That Lucina is so stubborn,_ she thought, as she gave the fancy cup a quick look. _Working for free; who would be stupid enough to do that?_ She huffed and turned the cup upside down. _It's a good thing she has me to help her, or she might get so hungry she'd die._

Anna wasn't dumb, at least not as dumb as Lucina. Her tale from that wagon ride had been so cool, sure, but there were more holes in it than a slice of holed cheese. She told a good story, but she wasn't very smart. She couldn't even remember the details of her own story right!

Anna chuckled at that. Lucina wouldn't like it, and neither would that fat duke. It was their fault for not paying attention to her, or leaving stuff out for her to take.

Anna glanced around one more time. When she was sure she was alone, she knelt down and slipped her backpack to the floor. She lifted the flap, and as she raised the cup into the backpack, something caught her eye.

At first, she thought a guard had spotted her. His armor flashed briefly in the torchlight, then he disappeared almost as soon as he appeared. When he didn't come back for her, Anna wondered why he had been in such a hurry.

_Maybe he needs something? If he does, I'd be happy to sell it to him._

Stuffing the fancy cup into her backpack and slinging it back over her shoulder, Anna rose to her feet. She crept after him, her footsteps as quick as they were careful. As she rounded the corner, she watched him slip through a doorway leading into the courtyard. She followed him, stopping herself just before she left the safety of the halls.

She hid behind the doorway and peeked outside. As she kept her eyes on the first guard, she noticed a second guard standing by the gate. The second guard stiffened when he heard the first guard's approach, only to relax a second later.

"What seems to be the problem?" the second guard said.

"There's a girl outside the castle," the first guard said. "She's asking if we could let her stay the night. Do you think we should let her in?"

"I don't see why not," the second guard said. He put a hand up over his eyes and glanced at the sky. "It is getting rather late, and we wouldn't want anyone to be captured by bandits, would we?"

He motioned to someone Anna couldn't see. A low growl rattled her ears, and the gate behind the guards began to rise. Light seeped in from below, and as Anna watched, a slender shadow emerged from outside.

The girl standing behind the gate was very tall and graceful. Her clothes, although ratty and torn, flowed off her in such an elegant way Anna thought she might have been a princess, and her hair shimmered so brightly it looked like it was white.

_Wait,_ she thought, and she squinted a little harder. _Her hair **is** white!_

"Hey!" the first guard said, waving his hand. "Come inside! Before it gets dark!"

The girl nodded, and she walked inside. No, that didn't sound right. Anna had been taught to notice the small things people did, anything to help her guess what her mother's customers wanted. This girl didn't walk, she stepped like a crane wading through water, her toes dropping every time she raised a foot off the ground.

She strolled like she was a princess, but she was dressed like a beggar. An interesting thing, since Lucina was the exact opposite.

As soon as she stepped through the gate, the girl breathed a sigh of relief. "I can't thank you enough," the girl said. "I thought I was going to have to find a cave to sleep in."

"Aren't you a little young to be out there by yourself?" the first guard said.

"I don't know. How young is too young?"

The second guard sighed. "That's not important right now." He looked away and made another signal. As the gate fell back into place, he turned back to the girl. "I'll have to ask the Duke if we have a spare room for you to stay in."

"Are you sure he will approve?" the girl asked, looking away.

"This is hardly the first time this has happened." The second guard waved off. "I'm sure he'll be happy to let you stay, miss..."

"Aversa."

"Miss Aversa." The second guard nodded. He spun around and as he walked away.

Right toward where Anna was hiding. Her eyes widened in panic. Thinking quickly, she pressed herself back behind the doorway.

The guard's footsteps grew louder. Anna held her breath. As the guard emerged from the doorway, she felt beads of sweat begin to form on her forehead. A breeze swept over her as he passed, his hands almost brushing her face. Any second he would notice something was off.

But he never did, and as he grew smaller in the distance, Anna slumped against the wall, a hand to her chest. She took in one deep breath after another, until she could no longer hear the blood pounding through her head.

"You're no spy, Anna," she muttered. "Stick to the things you know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Picking up the pace a tiny bit, bringing together more characters and whatnot. And hey, we get our first look into the mind of Anna.
> 
> Aversa's been introduced into the story, and by extension, Validar. I figured I was taking too long to bring him into the plot, and, second only to Grima, he's the biggest antagonist in Awakening, so naturally, he is going to be a major antagonist, probably THE major antagonist of the story.
> 
> Next update will be on April 6th. Until then, I wish you all well.


	12. Chapter 12

The bedroom door opened with a grating creak, much to Lucina's dismay, rusted hinges grinding against itself as Regina pushed it open. She tried not to wince as the sound scraped against her ears, even before she was hit by the smell of dust and moths, the same kind of smell you would only find in an abandoned building.

The wooden planks creaked under her weight as she followed Regina inside.

"How is he?" Regina said.

Lucina stopped, unprepared with an answer. It took her a moment to realize that it wasn't a question aimed at her.

As Regina opened the door a little wider to let her through, Lucina took in the rest of the room. A bed rested over by the wall, the parents' bed, she assumed. In the opposite corner was a crib, and by a crib, she saw a woman sitting in a chair, her straight red hair tied up in a ponytail that barely reached over her shoulders.

The woman sitting by the crib turned her head, and Lucina was struck with how out of place the smile on her lips was, like someone trying too hard to look pleasant.

"He's fine so far," the woman said, "but I'm not sure how much longer I can keep it that way. The school of healing is a practice I have yet to dedicate myself to."

Regina frowned, and she looked around like. "Where are the others?" she asked. "The Duke said he had his best healers helping."

"They're somewhere," the woman said. "Trying to think of a better way to help, or so I'm told. I'm just here to see if anything goes wrong."

"Well, you can go. Lucina here," she said, motioning to Lucina, "says she might be able to help."

The woman lit up at that. "I see." Under her breath, Lucina heard her mutter, "Finally."

As she rose to leave, the woman grabbed a bag sitting by the crib, and the lute next to it, which Lucina hadn't seen there before. Before she could move, Regina held up a hand. Turning to Lucina, she said, "Lucina, is your eye alright?"

"What do you mean?" Lucina tilted her head, confused.

"You've just had your hand over your eye this whole time, and I thought something might be wrong."

Lucina's eye strayed over to the left side of her face, and she remembered that she did indeed have her hand pressed up against it.

"Oh, that." She chuckled nervously. "It's an old wound. Some sort of covering might be nice. Like a mask, if you have anything like that."

Regina looked at the woman, who only sighed.

"Do you not have anything of the like in your storehouses?" she said.

"Well... we might," Regina said, "but surely it won't be much of a bother for you. Would it?"

The woman sighed again. She didn't complain, though, and she let her bag and lute fall to the floor. She lifted the flap of her bag, rummaging through the contents. One of the first things she pulled out was a large leather-bound book, which she set onto the chair beside her.

The instant her eyes fell on the book, Lucina recognized it in an instant.

Laurent had always carried his mother's journal with him wherever he went. Above where his name was written on the cover, his mother's name was etched into the leather in ink, a thin line running through it. And before it had belonged to Laurent's mother, it belonged to her mother. Although Laurent's grandmother had never written her name on the journal's cover, the way it was bound was unmistakable. Combine that with the fact that this woman had a very deep shade of red hair, and...

_It couldn't be. Could it?_

"Here you go."

The woman's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and Lucina found the woman holding out an eyepatch for her to take. Lucina mumbled her thanks. By the time she had the eyepatch over her branded eye, the woman brushed past her without another word, taking the journal with her. Lucina's eye followed her as she strode down the hall, her every step punctuated with the sharp click of her boots until she finally turned into another hall and disappeared.

Before Lucina could dwell on that, Regina ushered her inside. As the door closed behind her, Regina motioned toward the crib. "Can you take a look?"

Lucina gave an irritated sigh, but her feet guided her to the crib's side. Her hands fell to the edge of the crib, and she leaned over for a peek.

The boy in the crib was a far cry from the parent she knew he would turn out to be. He looked small, tiny even, huddled up with the blue blankets swirling around in the crib, and his skin was so pale he almost blended into the white sheets. His tiny chest rose and fell, but aside from that, he was completely still. He looked so weak.

Lucina recognized it; in her time, her mother and Laurent's mother had already figured out a cure for it, but as she opened her mouth, it hit her that she didn't quite know what it was.

"What? What's wrong?" Regina said, her voice wavering.

"Nothing," Lucina said, quickly regaining her composure. "I know what this is."

"Do you think you can help?"

Lucina bit her lip. She couldn't, but Inigo's father was dying. It was her fault. She had to fix it.

"Give me time," she said. "I'll get you your cure, but I'll need time."

"You can?" Regina's voice rose, and she looked so relieved Lucina almost felt bad about lying to her.

_No, I wasn't lying,_ Lucina hissed to herself. _I know there's a cure, I just need time to figure out what it was._

"I'll just leave you to it," Regina said, backing herself toward the door.

As she pulled it aside, she took one last glance over her shoulder. Lucina gave her a nod and waved her off. The door shut behind her with a click, leaving Lucina alone with the baby.

Her eye wandered to the crib. She found her hand wandering over to the railing, and she brushed a finger along the rim.

"I won't let you die," she whispered. "Not my father, not any of you."

The baby stirred in his sleep. Lucina held her breath, then realized that he probably couldn't understand a word she was saying.

She leaned away and fell back into her chair. A silence settled over the room, and with every passing second, she felt a pit open up inside her. She'd just promised she would come up with a cure, but she didn't have a clue where to begin. Aunt Miriel would know. Laurent would know. But none of them were here. It was just her.

Her fist clenched. She would find a way. She'd found her way here, after all. Finding a cure couldn't be harder than that, surely.

* * *

It was like looking in a mirror.

Granted, it was a broken mirror, but a mirror nonetheless. The ratty clothes hanging loose over the girl's form, her hair matted with dirt; Lucina was on another level, but Anna felt like she could understand this girl. She knew what made her tick.

So naturally, she thought it would be easy to get her interested.

"Hey there! I'm Anna!" she said, sticking out her hand. "If you ever need soap, needles, or fabric, I'm your girl! What's your name?"

Aversa scowled.

Anna's smile faltered, and her hand fell back to her side. Weird. Whenever her mother did it, other people treated her a lot better.

_Maybe I spoke too fast,_ she thought.

Waving aside that last mistake, Anna tried a different approach. "I'm kidding, I already know your name. Aversa, right?"

Aversa snorted, and she turned away. "Go find someone else to sweet-talk."

Anna crossed her arms, a real frown finally setting in. _Well, that went well,_ she thought. _I'd never sweet-talk anyone. I always tell the truth._

With a disappointed sigh, she turned around and started to walk away. If she couldn't catch that girl's interest, maybe she could just find some other buyer. Or maybe something else to steal.

"Hello, Jasper. How have you been?"

Anna stopped, and she turned around. There, down the hall, she saw the same girl talking to one of the guards. In the place of the cold look she had with Anna, a warm smile was sewn into her lips. It was almost like she was a completely different person.

Anna didn't trust that one bit. How could one person change so quickly? And to some guard, no less.

_I'm much better company than any silly old guardsman._

As she watched Aversa and the guard speak with each other, growing smaller as they walked down the hall, her eyes narrowed. Something didn't add up.

Not that it was any of her business. With a shrug, Anna spun back around and walked the other way. The girl didn't matter to her. Lucina did say that she didn't intend on staying. It wasn't like she was ever going to see her again.

She had barely taken three steps when she realized her backpack felt lighter than it should have been. Her brows pulled down, and she tried to slip her backpack off her shoulder, only to find that it wasn't there.

Her eyes widened. Anna glanced over her shoulder and down the hall, just in time to see Aversa vanish into another hall.

Now the girl mattered. With gritted teeth, Anna broke into a sprint after her. She had almost reached the same corridor when a blue blur popped out from the wall. Anna squeaked. It wasn't enough to stop her from barreling into it, sending it and her tumbling to the floor in a mess of blue cloth.

"Watch it!" Anna said, and she jumped to her feet, and who else did she find in front of her except the very same nobleman she'd helped escort here.

"I'm sorry!" Reginald replied. His eyes landed on her, and they suddenly widened. "Where have you been?"

Anna leaned to the side. "Who's asking?"

"Me?" Reginald shook his head. "Nevermind that. Does your mother know you're up so late?"

Her mother? At first, she thought he was talking about her actual mother, or at the very least, an older Anna. It took her a second to remember he was talking about Lucina.

"No. Is she worried about me?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen her since Regina dragged her off."

In her head, Anna groaned. It looked like they were going to be staying for a bit longer. On the bright side, it left her more time to steal her bag back from that wicked Aversa girl.

She tried to slip past Reginald, but her clothes caught on something, yanking her back. She whirled around to pull it free, only to find her hood in the hands of the nobleman.

"Hey! Let me go!" she said, struggling as Reginald pulled her off the ground.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sure whatever you need to do is important, but it will have to wait until tomorrow."

Anna gave him her best 'angry kitten' impression as she clawed for his face. "I said, let me go!"

"I don't think your mother wouldn't happy if she found you were staying up so late."

"B-but my bag–"

"It's probably fine. The guards would have put it in a safe place by now. At least, I hope so. If you really want it, you can get it in the morning, but right now you need to sleep, missy."

Anna sputtered some more, but it wasn't like Reginald was paying any attention. A passing patrol of guards entered the hallway, and Anna thought they would surely rescue her from having to go to bed. When they saw her hanging from the nobleman's hand like a lost puppy, hissing and spitting, they passed her without a second look. Stupid guards. Showed what they knew.

Reginald took one step, before he stopped, looking quite confused. "Which room did the Duke give to you?" he said, turning to her.

"I'll never surrender!"

Reginald just sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly just expositional stuff, set up for later chapters, etc. Nothing too exciting. Maybe some day I'll find a way to make it more fun, but as of now... well, what is there to say?
> 
> Update might not come directly next week. I might take a break from writing, but then again, I might not. What I do know is that I will be moving my update time for this story (at least, while school is out) to Tuesday, so I can spend Sunday doing nothing.


	13. An update

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I don't like the looks of where we're headed. Who's steering this thing?"
> 
> "That would be you, sir."
> 
> "Oh."

So, I was feeling burnt out last week and, as a result, I decided to take a break from writing. I spent most of it planning out my stories, and for the most part, I was able to sketch out an outline for most of my other stories. Then I got to this story, and I realized I really had no plans for this story.

I did have a goal in mind when I started this, and it was a goal I thought I was able to reach with the first chapter, but the rest of the story has, so far, just been me writing whatever problem seems to pop into my head and resolving them as quickly as possible, which was a really haphazard and aimless way of going about things. This might have been fine if I'd caught myself in the middle of doing this, but since I've already done this several times, I really had no other option other than reworking the whole story.

Originally, I was going to go back, delete all the chapters, and rework chapter one. As work on the new version of the story went along, though, I realized that what I was writing was such a huge departure from the tone of the original story (not that anything past the first chapter had a consistent tone to begin with), and just up and changing the original story would be a bit of a betrayal to you, the readers. So, I decided to put up a new version of this story.

This version of the story won't be going anywhere, in case anyone is wondering. For all it's weird pacing and constant fluctuation in story goals, it's got some good bits. Some of the stuff I put in here won't be nearly as prevalent in the first few chapters. That said, I won't be updating this story anymore. There really isn't anywhere I can go while still making complete sense. If you'd like more Lucina messing with the timeline shenanigans, I should have a more recent version of the story up on my profile, so check it out if you can.

Moral of the story? Make sure you have some sort point that you're building to, like a point of conflict or a point of character development, otherwise you'll get lost and find yourself completely unable to plan ahead. Also, don't be afraid to start over if you think the roots of the story have been hindering what's possible with it.

Anyway, I wish you all well, and stay safe.


End file.
